Creating a Vision That Keeps You Moving Forward
As a mother who has experienced labor pain, I can tell you that I had to set my eyes on the joy of seeing of seeing my children, of holding them, in order to get through. I had to draw strength from the picture that God had placed in my heart. I had to imagine myself alive, holding my baby, and not succumbing to the pain.
John 16:21 expresses it perfectly: “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”
I can attest to the truth of this. The joy of seeing your baby quickly overshadows the pain of labor. In fact, many mothers forget the intensity of that pain so completely that before long, they are the ones asking for another child, while their husbands are still recovering from the trauma of what they witnessed and heard! It’s truly remarkable how the joy of new life can transform the most excruciating experience into a distant memory.
Now, as a mom of boys, navigating the beautiful, chaotic, and exhilarating journey of motherhood, I keep my focus on the potential within my children. I hold onto the visions and dreams I have for them—the pictures God has painted in my heart about who they are and who they will become. This focus keeps me grounded and determined.
It allows me to look beyond their current imperfections, excesses, or inadequacies. Instead of being discouraged, I fix my eyes on what God says about them. I remember that, like a pencil, they may not yet be sharpened to their full potential. But with discipline, love, attention, prayer, the Word of God, and everything it takes to raise a well-rounded child, I am shaping them.
Even as I sharpen them through guidance and correction, I never lose sight of their inherent value. Though they may not yet be fully refined, they are already pencils—full of potential and purpose, waiting to be maximized. This belief sustains me as I build them into the individuals God has destined them to be.
Building as a Business Person
I believe the inventors of businesses like sanitary towels recognized a profound need within the female community. They saw the struggles women faced and envisioned a better reality—a world where women no longer had to wash blood-soaked towels endlessly. They imagined a scenario where women could simply use and dispose of a product, improving their quality of life and reducing the health risks associated with reusing cloth for monthly menstruation.
Similarly, I like to think that the inventors of diapers felt discomfort seeing mothers, caregivers, and others washing soiled towels repeatedly. They likely imagined a world where caring for children was less burdensome—a life where mothers could simply use and dispose of a diaper after each use, making daily tasks easier and more hygienic.
The inventors of faucets likely dreamed of a day when people didn’t have to haul bucket after bucket of water from distant sources or deep wells. They envisioned a future where turning on a tap at home would provide instant access to clean, flowing water, making life more convenient and efficient for everyone.
These examples highlight the power of setting a vision before you. These inventors saw a picture of what could be and worked tirelessly to bring it to life, transforming ordinary struggles into extraordinary innovations.
I am certain they encountered challenges along the way—obstacles, doubts, and setbacks—but the clarity of their vision kept them moving forward. The picture they held before them served as a beacon, guiding them through adversity until their ideas became tangible solutions that changed the world.
This is why businesses have visions and missions. Even if a business didn’t start with a clear mission or vision, as it grows, it will almost inevitably reach a point where creating one becomes essential. Without a clear picture of its purpose and direction, a business risks fading into obscurity, joining the countless ventures that disappeared as quickly as they emerged.
A vision is the “why” behind everything you do. It’s the foundation you return to whenever you face challenges or hit a roadblock. It’s the reminder that keeps you grounded and focused, no matter how difficult the journey becomes.
Your vision and mission fuel your decisions, inspire your actions, and guide every step you take. They are the driving force behind sustainable growth and the key to standing out in a crowded, competitive world.
God set a Greater Vision before Him, enabling Him to pay the ultimate price for our salvation.
I believe that God and our Lord Jesus Christ held the vision of our redemption and salvation so firmly, that God gave His only begotten Son and Jesus paid the ultimate price—becoming human and enduring a painful, shameful death on our behalf.
The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. His love for you and me was so great that He set our redemption before Him. Before the foundations of the world, He purposed in His heart to love us and to redeem us.
As Ephesians 1:4-5 states, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”
It was for the joy of uniting us with the Father—of removing the veil of sin and death that separated us from God—that Jesus endured the pain, the shame, and the torture of the cross. It was a heavy price to pay for a people who could not fully grasp the depth of His sacrifice, but still, He obeyed God to the point of death.
Jesus Christ set you and I before Him. His love and commitment to us were the driving forces that led Him to the cross, and it is by this vision that we are forever redeemed.
Key Scripture
Hebrews 12:1-2
