“Let your life be a stepping stone to Christ and not a stumbling block.” 1 Cor. 8:13 & 10:31

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven." Matt. 5:16

God’s Vision Motivates Us To Do Great Things

By Jon Walker

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)

Perhaps the most powerful aspect of vision is that it changes your way of thinking, which in turn changes the way you live.

An Olympic swimmer endures the long hours of staring at the bottom of a pool, day after day, because he is motivated by the vision of the gold to come.

A mother endures the painful labor of childbirth because the vision of her newborn baby sustains her.

And a four-year-old endures the struggle to be a very, very good boy for another two weeks because he is motivated by a vision of gifts under a Christmas tree.

Vision is a power that motivates us to do great things, give great things, and love at all times. Vision keeps us going when there doesn’t appear to be any other reason to keep pushing forward toward the goal.

Jesus endured the cross because of his vision — “the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).

Oswald Chambers says the thing that keeps us going for God, even when everything or everyone around us is tumbling and stumbling, is our vision of God, not our devotion to principles or our devotion to duty.

It is the vision of God before us, where we set our “minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2 NIV).

Ask God to give you a vision of himself. Ask him to show you how your purpose is an extension of his heart and mind. Then “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [you] heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 NIV).

Jon Walker is the author Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ and managing editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Devotionals. © 2011 Jon Walker. Used by permission.