God's Wisdom In A Nutshell

Hello!

Today I want to talk to you about vision boards and how they ARE NOT Biblical if used for financial or personal gain. Let me explain.

There is much talk on the internet about vision boards and how we need to pin pictures of our goals in order to visualize them often. This act is supposed to enhance our motivation and draw us closer to our goals.  Some pastors on the internet also quote Scripture to back up the idea of vision boards, take a look:

” Write the vision, and make it plain.”(Habakkuk 2:2b)

“Where there is no vision the people perish”(Proverbs 29:18)

So the vision board proponents say that these verses solidify their belief that vision boards are backed up by God. The first  problem with this is that these are only partial verses! Secondly, the verses are taken wildly out of context.

Vision boards depict what WE want. We pin up cars, houses, hundred dollar bills, vacation destinations and the like envisioning ourselves receiving them because we feel they are God’s will. But the verse above has nothing to do with a board pinned with our visions. The verse is describing the prophet Habakkuk who is asking the Lord why enemies were allowed to dominate the faithful people. Below is the verse. It starts with Habakkuk asking the Lord a question and then I posted the Lord’s second reply (the first was similar but for time-sake I wrote the Lord’s second reply.)

(Habakkuk 1:1-4 NKJV)

The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.

O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save.
Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds….

(Habakkuk 2:2-4)
“I (Habakkuk) will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
Then the Lord answered me and said”:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.”

Okay, so this verse has nothing to do with our visions. The verse is telling Habakkuk to write down the vision the Lord gave him, which was the answer to his question.

The second verse I listed in the beginning of the post is found in Proverbs. This is the entire verse:“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” So this verse is saying, when we do not have any knowledge of the prophesy of God or in other words, the Word of God- people do their own thing. But those who know and adhere to God’s ways are blessed. The Bible warns about getting lured by these smooth talkers who give you false hope.

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.”(Jer 23:16)

So the lesson is first and foremost, we cannot take verses out of context and stand on them. We must be a student of the Bible asking the Lord to open our eyes of understanding so that we can use the Bible in the proper way.

Second. Nowhere in Scripture are we told to figure out our lives on our own and if we do, all of our desires will come to fruition. God tells us to delight in learning about Him and trust that His teachings are the perfect way to carry out our lives, and  when we do- He will give us the desires of our hearts.

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”(Psalm 37:4NIV)

The Lord didn’t die a horrific death to leave us guessing and envisioning our best life. He paid the price for all of us to live in health, peace and prosperity and we get this beautiful life by following His teachings- not the other way around! It is God first and then us. And when we align our lives like this, the end result will be strong families, health, prosperity and joy even in difficult circumstances. Why do we receive these things from the Lord? Because He promised us these things. He is our good Father and He would like us to follow His ways because they are safest, healthiest and correct and they lead to that beautiful life He wants for all of us.

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”(Prov 16:3)

I hope you will pin up beautiful scenes of nature, pictures of your kids and pictures of prayers the Lord has already answered. Now this is a vision board the Lord appreciates!

Have a great week!

Lisa