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Catching God’s Vision for My Life

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. PROVERBS 29:18 KJV

God’s vision for my life is…

To learn to value people like he does

The LORD gave this message to Jonah … “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” JONAH 1:1-2 NLT

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. EZEKIEL 33:11 NLT

We catch people

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. LUKE 5:10-11 NLT

We pray for people

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 1 TIMOTHY 2:1-4 NLT

To see how quickly I run from his commands

But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish. JONAH 1:3 NLT

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?” LUKE 6:46 NLT

To know He will do whatever it takes to reach me

But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” JONAH 1:4-6 NLT

To discover who I really am

Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” JONAH 1:7-8 NLT

Storms reveal the real you

Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” JONAH 1:9 NLT

Know he can still use me even after I have blown it

The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the LORD. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God. “O LORD,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the LORD’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. JONAH 1:10-16 NLT

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place where you can become relaxed and still in your thoughts and feelings. Ask God to help you to become quiet within. Take several deep breaths to help prepare you for this time of reflection. When you sense you are ready, commit the time to God for His purposes. Think about the story of Jonah so far. You could read Jonah 1:1-16 (NLT). What stood out to you from his experience? In what ways does his experience remind you of your life? Ask God to help you discover His vision for your life and what He wants to do in you and through you. What do you sense are some specifics of this vision? Have a conversation with Him about trusting and obeying the direction He is leading you. Now reflect on people you avoid or disagree with. What are your thoughts and feelings towards people who believe differently than you? Pray God would reveal any perspectives or changes He wants you to make to better reflect His love for them. Confess any sinful thoughts or actions that God reveals to you and ask for His help in making the changes. Finally, think about any current or past storms in your life. Pray God will reveal in what ways He has used a storm to reveal who you really are and to redirect you from running away from His plan for you. Ask Him to show you an action you can take this week to follow His vision for you. Thank Him for His faithfulness to continue to work in and through you despite the times you didn’t obey His vision or commands.

Discussion Questions

Choose a couple of the following questions from each section that best fit your group. Or, have everyone read the questions, choosing which one(s) from each section that they feel led to respond to.

  1. START HERE: What is your vision for your life?
  2. START HERE: Think back on your life. What is something God has done to reach you?
  3. KEEP GOING: Who are the people that you have a hard time loving? What would it look like for you to see and love them like Jesus?
  4. KEEP GOING: Read Jonah 1:3 (NLT). When is a time you have run from God? Why do you think you didn’t trust and obey Him?
  5. KEEP GOING: Storms reveal the real you. What have you learned about yourself through a storm in your life?
  6. KEEP GOING: God can still use us even after we’ve blown it. What might God be inviting you to do with the love and grace He has shown you?
  7. LIVE IT OUT: In what ways do you sense God pursuing you at this time in your life? What would it look like to trust and obey Him in the direction He wants you to go?
  8. LIVE IT OUT: Read Luke 5:10-11 (NLT). People are the big fish for us to catch. How might God want to use you to reach others in your life?