I'm going to let you in on a secret. From this point on, to the end of the book, I'm winging it. That's right. I'm making it up as I go. I didn't have time to think through anything except the first few pages - thank you for reading this far - and the publishers needed the book right away.
But stay with me.
Keep reading.
If I accidentally say something good, you'll find it.
And now for another secret: What I just said? I was kidding.
That's no way to write a book.
But what if I had written this book without any forethought or preparation? If I did, you'd be kicking yourself for wasting $19.99 and your valuable time. I wouldn't think of writing this or any other book without preparation, and neither would you.
But the greater and all-too-real tragedy is that so many in my generation are going through life without a vision, a big idea, a plan for their life. I've found that if you ask people, "What is your vision for life?" you'll get answers like:
"I want to be rich."
"I want to be famous."
"I want to eat everything I want without getting fat!" (Someone actually told me that.)
But those aren't visions or big ideas for a life. They're substitutes for the real thing. They're glittery placeholders. They're excuses to allow us to continue to drift.
For the most part, people just stumble halfheartedly through life hoping tomorrow will be better than today. No plan. No dream. Mostly just existing. Hoping for a break. They just keep turning the pages of their life story, one after the other, until they get to the final chapter.
And then...it's time for bed.
Death is a topic most people don't like to think about. As a pastor, I spend a lot of time helping people deal with it. Life-threatening illnesses. Sudden accidents. Funerals. Grieving families.
After a death, I always ask the family to tell me what was good in the life of the deceased. The answers are revealing.
Some families start talking and can't stop. They cry and laugh, relating story after story of a person who touched their lives, or gave their world meaning and hope. They celebrate a legacy. To them, the person now dead lives on as a shining light, an unforgettable example. A hero. A gift.
Other families fall into an awkward silence. They each seem to hold their breath. They stare at the floor. I know what they're doing - they're trying to come up with something honorable and good to say. They're glossing over pain, explaining away failures. Sometimes they start to speak, but...
I hate those silences.
Every life story, the good and the not-so-good, reinforces one central principle:
Everyone ends up somewhere. But few people end up somewhere on purpose.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
The great news is that anyone can discover meaningful life direction. Everyone can end up somewhere on purpose. Not just the remarkably talented or fortunate. You. Me. Everyone.
The Bible makes it clear that we were designed from the start to live for a unique reason. For a dream. A big idea. A personal mission. That's because you and I are made in the image of a forward-looking, purposeful God. In Isaiah 46:10, He said, "I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please."
In other words, before God starts something, He is certain of the outcome.
And God's map of history includes a unique plan for your life. In Psalm 139:13-16, David wrote:
You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Did you catch the amazing truth in those lines? God created you with a divine undertaking in mind. Before you were born, God knew you. And He knew what He wanted your life to be like.
That's why God calls us to live on purpose, keeping the end in view. And what's more, He invites us to seek Him in order to learn what His perfect plan is for our lives. Then, with that plan in mind, we can reach His and our greatest dreams.Anything less is a mistake, a lie, and a rip-off.
Of course, living out your personal purpose, reaching for your God-given dream-that all sounds fine. But life happens. Bills pile up. Problems press in.We're blasted every day by a hundred media messages that tell us what we really need to do-the one thing that would change our lives-is buy a new truck. Or get to the mall. Or drink lite beer.
You talk about purpose...
If we're not careful, we can fall dreadfully behind, trying frantically to catch up, trying to accomplish...absolutely nothing.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
Made for This
I'll bet your life is busy. Mine is, too. For me, raising six small children is challenging enough. Add to it the task of leading a large church with multiple campuses, and I often don't know if I'm coming or going.
My friends ask, "Craig, how do you do it all? Aren't you afraid you'll burn out?" What they really mean is, Are you sure you're not heading for the psych ward?
I can say with all honesty that my job and my family are never burdens. Sometimes I get tired. But I'm nowhere near burnout.
Why? Because this is what God created me to do. I have no doubt about it. I'm wired for this.This is the vision God put in me. And when God gives you His vision, He also gives you the ability to get it done. When you're living God's vision for your life, you spring out of bed with excitement. When someone asks if you like what you do, you shout "I love it!"
But, Craig, you might ask, will God give me a vision?
Absolutely. I'm certain of it. In fact, the Bible tells us that vision is critical to our very survival:
"Where there is no vision, the people perish"
(Proverbs 29:18 KJV).
This is the most important statement from Scripture that I will quote in this book. It's so important, in fact, that it is the source of the book's title.
Without Chazown
The word "vision" comes from the Hebrew word chazown (pronounced khaw-ZONE). Not to be confused with cassonas, which is Spanish for underwear. Chazown starts with a letter that doesn't exist in English. It's not the ch sound in "cheesecake." You pronounce it by making a hacking sound at the back of your throat, like you're hocking and getting ready to spit.
Try it. Say khaw-ZONE.
And again. Cha-ZOWN.
Well, you'll get better with practice. (Incidentally, you may need to wipe off the page before you go on.) But more important than the pronunciation is the word's meaning. It means "dream" or "revelation" or "vision."
You'll notice that Chazown is frequently represented in this book by a spiral, or swirl. It stands for the energy, focus, and creativity that are released when you pursue your personal vision.
Cha-ZOWN.
Where there is no Chazown-no dream, no revelation, no vision, no sense of our created
purpose-we perish.
Where there is no vision that you were created to have a growing, lifelong, and personal relationship with your Creator, your inner being withers and dies.
Where there is no vision that you have been placed on earth to matter deeply to other people, and reveal God's love and power to them, you live in loneliness and your relationships perish.
Where there is no vision for a godly family, you have a 50 percent chance of ending up divorced.
Where there is no vision that your body is the temple of God's Spirit-property on loan from Him-your physical health slips away. Your exuberance fades.
Where there is no vision for a financially wise lifestyle, you can live in the richest country on earth and still be drowning in debt.
Where there is no vision for meaningful work, people live for five o'clock. They really just exist. Their goal is to survive-to pay bills, stay married, keep the kids out of jail...
But you and I were made for so much more.