SIGHT VS VISION: MAKING EXCUSES

Proverbs chapter 29




Today we are walking in: Sight VS. Vision: Making Excuses




Habakkuk 2:2




And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, ​ and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.








VISION








Today we look to the word​ VISION- H2377 chazown- vision(in ecstatic state)​, vision​s​ (in night)​, oracle, prophecy (divine communication)​, vision (as title of book of prophecy)​ ​from H2372; a sight (mentally), i.e. a dream, revelation, or oracle:—vision. to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide​, ​to see, behold​, to see as a seer in the ecstatic state​, to see, perceive with the intelligence​, to see (by experience)​, to provide









The Torah testifies........




Numbers 24:4




He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw ​ the vision H2377 of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:




Numbers 24:16




He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw ​the vision H2377 of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:









The prophets proclaim.........

1​ ​Samuel 3:1




And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days;there was no open vision H2377. ​





Jeremiah 14:14




Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision H2377 ​ and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.








The writings bear witness.........




1​ ​Chronicles 17:15




According to all these words, and according to all this vision H2377, ​so did Nathan speak unto David.





Psalm 89:19




Then thou spakest in vision ​H2377 to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.







Making Excuses




Sometimes, we know what we should be doing, but we’re hesitant to take that first step. We always intend to do it, but we never do. Instead, we make excuses, such as “When my life gets less complicated,” “When I feel more confident,” or “After I pray about it more.”




There is a story of two fishermen who were lost in a storm on a lake. The storm was blowing so fiercely that they couldn’t see a thing. One of the fishermen said to his colleague, “We have two choices. We can pray or row. Which one should we do?” The other answered, “Let’s do both!” That’s the way you need to live. Instead of deliberating about what you need to do, just say, “Let’s row.” Even though you’re scared, keep on rowing. Set a destination even while you’re praying, and Yah will guide you where you need to go.




Another group of people who have trouble carrying vision through to the end is what I call the “professional starters.” They’re always beginning something, but they never finish anything. For example, they have books they’ve never finished, yet they keep starting new ones. Nothing in the world feels as good as reading through to the last page of a book because then you know that that book is in you and no one can take it away from you. Everything you leave unfinished will discourage you from completing other projects. The unfinished has a way of haunting your life.




Seeking “Balance”




Some people don’t want to focus on a specific goal because they fear their lives might not be well-balanced. They say things such as these: “I don’t really want to go after anything in particular because then I will be closing off other options. I don’t want to become too narrow,” or “If I become too serious about something, I might miss what I really want to do in life.” The problem is that people will say things like these for forty- five years and never end up doing anything at all! What they call a pursuit of balance is really an excuse for not making a decision. They end up being average, mediocre people.




True balance is the maintenance of equilibrium while moving toward a destination. A good example of this truth is the way a ship functions on the ocean. A ship always needs to maintain its balance. Wouldn’t it be a waste of precious time and fuel, however, for a boat to expend all its energy just trying to balance on the water so that it didn’t tip over? Some people live for sixty-five years, seventy-five years, ninety years, just balancing. Yet balance is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. A ship keeps its balance as it makes its way to a specific port. Likewise, we need to have a destination while we’re maintaining balance in our lives.




Trying to Do Everything




A common reason people aren’t specific about their visions is that they’re trying to do too much. Their problem isn’t that they’re hesitant about getting started, but that they’re running around attempting too many things. Even though they are constantly constructing something, they’re actually building nothing at all because they never complete anything.




Why does this happen? Because most people make the mistake of believing that the main goal in life is to stay busy. Yet this way of thinking is a trap. Busyness does not necessarily equal progress; staying busy does not necessarily mean that you are heading toward a specific destination.




I have learned this very important truth that has set me free from both indecision and ineffective busyness: I was not born or created to do everything. This statement might be a good thing to put at the top of your office or household calendar. When we aim at everything, we usually hit nothing. Yet most of us are breaking our necks trying to hit everything in sight. Let me assure you: You were not born to meet all the needs on earth.




It is very easy to become concerned about the many problems we face in this world. Compassion is not only an admirable quality, but it is also an essential element of vision. However, you cannot try to meet every need around you and still be effective in helping people. The more needs you attempt to meet, the less attention you’ll be able to devote to each individual need.




All the needs that you see in your nation cannot be met by you. All the trouble that you see in your community cannot be solved by you. All the problems that you see on your street cannot be addressed by you. This reality is the reason why you must discover your personal vision from Yah and then stay on track with it. You were meant to meet certain needs, not every need. Yah created you for a purpose, and that purpose is supposed to be your focus. It is what must motivate you and keep you centered on what is most important for you to be involved in. While you should be open to the various ways in which Yah may direct you to help others, you must not become sidetracked by a myriad of needs, because there will always be more needs than you can personally handle.




Being Perplexed over Multiple Talents




Some people never pursue their true visions because they have the “problem” of being multi-talented, of being able to do many things. A misunderstanding of their gifts causes many talented and intelligent people to be ineffective and unsuccessful in life. These people say, “I have so many gifts that I don’t know which ones I’m supposed to use. I want to develop all of them.” As a result, they develop none of them to proficiency. I have many interests myself. I’m a teacher, a preacher, a speaker, and a writer. I can also paint, sculpt, and write and play music. However, I have had to focus on specific gifts in order to be effective in life.




Let me ask you this: Have you ever seen anyone who became successful in life by doing everything? Think about people such as Helen Keller, Picasso, Marie Curie, Tiger Woods, tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, Bill Gates. Each of these people did one or two things very well, and it became the source of their life and their prosperity. It made room for them in the world.




When a person tries to do everything, he ends up becoming a “jack-of-all-trades and master of none.” I’m sure you know some multi-gifted people who seem to have the best chances of success but who aren’t doing anything with their lives. You have to guard against the temptation to try to do everything. No matter how many gifts you have, don’t let them distract you. You must decide to concentrate on one or two gifts, and then stir them up. Don’t worry about losing the other gifts. Decide which gift you are going to stir up; as you stir that one up, the other gifts will follow it. Yah will not waste what He has given you.