Tie your boat to the Vision

I once read a story about a guy who upon coming in from fishing with some buddies stayed in the boat while his friends went to use the rest room and grab a snack on shore. The three guys threw the rope loosely around the dock and two went on their relief mission while the one friend stayed back with the boat. After a few minutes the sun and soothing motion of the water took their toll on the young man left behind in the boat and off to sleep he went.

After what felt like 30 seconds the young man jumped suddenly from his rest as he felt the boat rock back and forth with force. Startled he looks up only to see himself away from shore. Drifting he thinks to himself "How did I get here?"

Some times if we're not paying attention we can end up drifting in that boat. As a leader this is one of the worst feelings. Not being anchored while feeling that you're alone drifting is a crushing defeat to the driven individual. The leader within is secure when he/she is chasing, charting, pushing and pulling themselves and their organization forward. Sitting helplessly adrift fits no natural instinct of the leader.

There have been many times in our church's first year that I could have been drifting. Some of those times where when good people wanted me to tie the boat to their pier. In a church plant you will have many people come along and with a burst of energy be the greatest team players you'll meet. You will want to give them the ministry and 'get them into leadership'... Don't! You will regret tying God's vision for your church to the so called 'pier' of others. Before you know it you will wake up drifting as you think back "How did I end up here?"

Other times I have found myself drifting:
- I've had relational drift where I got so focused on the 'work' of ministry that I neglected my relationships with the people in the ministry.
- I've drifted in my relationship with Christ when I was too busy "serving Him" to notice that I was ignoring Him as my protector, provider, Lord and Savior.
- I have drifted in my role as a husband as I pull a 15 hour work day and crawl into bed with my already asleep wife and think "how did we end up here?" while I lean over to turn off the light.

In every drift I've experienced there has only been one thing that has brought me back... God's vision for my life. This is the only thing upon which I can "tie" my proverbial boat. God's vision for my life does not include neglecting my family, ignoring people for work, and definitely not ignoring Him. God's vision for my life is not that I get caught up in what others think of me. God's vision for my life however is all about Him. God's vision for my life is that I become the best CHILD of GOD, Husband, Son, Father, Pastor, Friend, Neighbor and Rescuer that I can become. I believe I become all those things as a byproduct of Knowing Him. (John 17:3)

As you find yourself in a season (or moment) of drift, I encourage you to seek out and recall God's perfect vision for your life. When you see yourself in a tough situation, there is no greater cure than to see yourself as God sees you.

Tie your boat to His Vision for your life.