There are roughly 56 common eye disorders but there are literally 100s of others that are lesser known eye conditions. Pretty much everyone has had one of the lesser illnesses, like conjunctivitis, which is healed easily. But the most threatening eye conditions of all, are of course, the damaging ones, the ones that can not be repaired, and affect the retina, the pupil or the macula. These are the unique conditions that of course can not be seen. They can be degenerative in nature and are passed on to the next generation via DNA.
My grandfather had glaucoma, and so my yearly eye checks are always about keeping a watch on that. The thought of losing my vision is quite an inspiration to staying aware and being diligent with these tests!
If only leaders could take a “spiritual eye test”, to determine when their vision or spiritual discernment was failing and in what areas!
Its so easy to drift away from the original fervour and excitement when the vision was high and the feelings were flowing. Sometimes a loss of vision happens because of emotional fatigue or a prolonged battle that can rob our strength.
We are all susceptible to losing vision but we must do our side of the job, which is learning to stay in the Spirit and recognise the moment we are in.
But how do we actually maintain the capacity to see? I believe it is about balance and skill sets.
Firstly, visionary leaders will have to develop a bunch of unique skill sets to get through the road ahead. Secondly, they will need to learn to balance all those skills sets with normal living. Sound easy? I once wrote a list of all the skill sets a leader would need, in the formative part of a church plant, and I remember roughly coming up with about 30 different skill areas!
Most leaders need to be like professional jugglers.
I once saw the Cirque du Soleil show in New York, and one of the jugglers seemed to be moving in the supernatural! I’m not sure how he did it, but he managed to juggle somewhere up to 12-16 balls at once. For me motherhood felt a bit like this, learning many skill sets at once. And to be honest pastoring is like that too.
After nearly 18 years of pastoring and leading a community, I maintain vision by attending weekly intercession meetings that are corporate. I find the spirit of prophecy resting on those times to be profound. In the prayer room, I can see, like at no other time!
I find my heart gets drawn into the swirl of revelation produced off the prayers and pretty soon, I’m writing down notes in my phone, of the things I want to research or think about. I would go so far as to say, that the main way I maintain vision is the prayer room.
The other way is to spend time every day just looking, observing and reflecting about what is going on. I am a person who needs time for that, so I love time alone or get a full day on my own to just think about what is going on in my world. I think about the culture of the community, what’s been happening, where we are in the journey and what God saying for the next season. I write down a lot of things in my journal.
Caring for your soul and its needs is vital. So taking your rest and allowing our hearts to get healed from the many traumas that we are all exposed to is vital.
Lastly, go back to the point. Why do I do what I do?
If you find what makes you mad about society and what makes you passionate about God and His church (yep you need to find that), and smash them together in a mortar and pestle you will end up with the paste that drives you!
It’s a great adventure being a leader, a huge responsibility and an awesome privilege!
When we listen we receive.
Listening prayer builds vision and passion. If you treasure what you are receiving, you will be able to see the unique path He has for you to be a voice to this generation. Don’t miss the opportunity! Only you get to live it! And we need your voice to stay strong.
So stay envisioned in the journey!