Amidst this Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are experiencing rapid changes in our personal and professional lives. On top of that we are dealing with the roller coaster of emotions that accompany individual and collective grief and loss. Life as we knew it before is gone. At least for now. And it can be very challenging and unsettling to live with the lingering uncertainty in the air.
How are we to cope? How are we supposed to navigate the so-called ‘new normal’ when all we want is the old one back?
One thing I have discovered over the years is that establishing my Personal Vision can be one of the anchors that holds us steady in the midst of a storm. There is a verse in the Bible that says,
“Where there is no vision, the people perish…”
Prov. 29:18
Vision is the foresight that God gives us to see further ahead than the now. It reminds us of where we are headed even when we are travelling in the dark.
Do you know where you are headed?
Even though it may be challenging to look beyond tomorrow, you might be wondering where one would begin in discovering one’s personal vision. Since vision is something given by God, we must begin by taking some time [with Him] to do some deep reflection. One exercise I have found helpful in taking my life coaching clients through in putting together their personal vision is one that engages the imagination. Take out a pen and paper and respond to the following questions:
- Imagine you are a very old person walking with a child who asks you, “What are you most proud of about your life?”
- You’re about to die. What did you accomplish before you left?
- As a result of your having lived, three things have changed or shifted in the world. What are they?
What were those questions like for you? What insights did you gain? What did the Holy Spirit bring to the surface from deep within your heart? Take all your written notes and ask God to help you craft a personal vision statement. Keep it visible where you can see it and revisit it when you need a boost.
These are indeed difficult and uncertain times, but it is nothing new to the God of the universe. For in good times and in bad, we are still God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). So get in touch with what that work is and let hope rise in your heart as you keep walking toward it with Him.