Vision

Vision is defined as "the act of power of imagination." Vision is essential in a time of hurt. A time when hope is lost is a time when vision is lacking. A time where everything seems so grim is a time where having a vision appears to be at its most challenging. Having a vision is essential during times of pain, confusion, and hopelessness. When you are beaten down, battered, and bruised, you need a vision to get yourself back up and take another punch if you have to. Having a vision can change your life instantly if you allow it.

Life can and will push you down; life is full of highs and lows, mountains and trenches. That's just the reality of the lives we live. When we're at our highest, we can see the vision for our lives clearly, but it's not there when we're at our lowest. Why is that? Shouldn't our vision be strongest when we're at our lowest? Shouldn't our vision, a life filled with happiness, be the key motivator for pushing through those tough times? Should we not see greatness and strive for it when we're far from great? Why do we lack vision in our times of hurt? It's because our old vision was just destroyed. Before this time of pain, you were most likely on one of life's highs or near it. Your vision got you there, and you were set back to square one when it all got torn down. The vision you originally had, is not the intended vision for your life. Your vision may have been self-conceited, full of pride and arrogance, driven by lust, not by love. It was something of destruction, not life.

The beauty of all that is it's okay. The only way to learn is to let that old vision be destroyed so that you can see a new one. Your life is a gift that does not need to be wasted; you shouldn't be here; science tells us that, so why waste it? Why wake up every morning and coast throughout your day? Why lay around all day when you could be improving? Why sleep until 11 because "I have nothing going on that day"? How is that improving you? How is accepting defeat and accepting mediocrity making you better, fulfilling your dream and intended vision?

You can say "no more"; you can take this lonely time of life and come out of it something new, something unimaginable. You can grab ahold of this and take your improved vision and make it a reality. It's going to take a lot of hard work, and it could also take a long time, but it will be so worth it. In a few months, maybe years, you'll look back at the time of loneliness when you just outworked everyone, and you will fall to your knees thanking God that he did make you go through that because the person you are now is unrecognizable. Maybe now you have a body you hate, a weak mind, a vision lacking, a life, to you, not worth living. You can stay in that, sulk in it, and live miserably, or you can get yourself up, say no more, and work your butt off to create something unimaginable.

Now you may ask, "how"? For me, it's this; you get up at 6 am, give 1% or 14 minutes of your time to God, eat breakfast, and then get to work, school, or whatever your life entails. You work out, read, meditate, work on your craft, and then go to bed knowing you were productive that day. Go to bed knowing you made yourself proud. Who cares about other people? Who cares if you see people at the club or a party every Friday night while you're working on yourself? You may be jealous now, but in a few years, look at yourself, then at them, and you tell me who made the right choice. Create a routine, discipline yourself, work hard, and find love and meaning.

Although you may lack a vision right now, that doesn't mean it's not there waiting for you. Imagine it, then begin to believe in it. Your life is worth living; you are worth fighting for. An unimaginable version of yourself is waiting for you, a life you've only dreamt of. You can make this dream a reality; you can choose to fight rather than stay lying down. I believe in you; now, I need you to believe in you.

I pray that you begin seeing your life's intended vision today, imagining something great. I pray that you discipline yourself and accomplish your goals/vision. I also pray for love, purpose, and meaning in your life. You are worth it. You are loved.

Trevor Crowder