Clarity Is a Calling: When God Makes the Vision Plain

"Where there is no vision, the people perish…" - Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) "Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." - Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)

The Fog of Uncertainty

She stares at the blank page, overwhelmed by the weight of decisions ahead (e.g., career changes, relationship choices, ministry directions), and her questions multiply faster than answers: What is God calling me to do, and am I moving in the right direction, or what if I make the wrong choice? Sound familiar? In a world of endless options and constant noise, clarity can feel like a luxury reserved for the spiritual elite, but what if clarity isn't simply nice to have but a divine necessity?

Vision: The Difference Between Wandering and Walking

Proverbs 29:18 carries a sobering truth: "Where there is no vision, the people perish." The Hebrew word for "perish" doesn't mean death; it means to be unrestrained, to cast off restraint, to become undisciplined and scattered.

Without vision, we may struggle, spiral, and make decisions based on fear instead of faith, react instead of responding, drift instead of walking with purpose, become busy, unproductive people active without alignment, and move without making progress.

Vision is what separates the wanderers from the walkers - the difference between being busy and purposeful, surviving and thriving, and existing and living.

The Divine Blueprint: Writing It Down

When God spoke to Habakkuk, He gave him a vision with specific instructions about what to do, "write the vision and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it." Do you see the progression? Accept the vision, write it down, make it plain (i.e., clear and understandable), and run with it - a divine blueprint for how clarity can work in our daily lives.

Why Writing Matters

When we write what God shows us, powerful things happen when we put pen to paper:

• Clarity comes through the process: Our thoughts can feel cloudy until we jot them down, forcing us to organize our thoughts, process our emotions, and articulate what God is stirring in our hearts.
• Memory gets stronger: Writing our vision becomes a point of reference we can return to when doubt creeps in or when circumstances try to derail us from our purpose.
• Accountability becomes prevalent: A written vision is hard to ignore, easier to share with trusted advisors, and more likely to be acted upon.
• Faith is activated. Composing our thoughts demonstrates our faith and belief in what God has spoken and that His vision for our lives is worth documenting.

Making It Plain: From Confusion to Clarity

God's instruction to "make it plain" reveals His heart for our understanding because He doesn't want His vision for our lives to be mysterious, complicated, or confusing; however, He wants it to be so clear that we can "run" with it and move forward with confidence and speed. Making the vision plain means:

• Removing spiritual jargon: Can you explain God's vision for your life in simple terms to gain a deeper understanding of what God is saying?
• Getting specific: Unclear visions can lead to vague results (e.g., I want to help people, but I want to help single mothers develop financial literacy through biblical principles - is more definitive).
• Breaking it down into steps: A large vision can feel overwhelming. What are the practical, actionable steps that will move you toward what God has planned for you?
• Setting timelines: When does God want you to do, and what needs to happen in the next 30 days, 90 days, or one year?

From Survival to Strategy

Here's what happens when clarity comes: you stop living in survival mode and start operating strategically, stop reacting to circumstances and responding from a place of purpose, stop being tossed around by every opinion and opportunity, and filter for decision-making to transform:

• Confusion into direction
• Anxiety into anticipation
• Overwhelm into focus
• Procrastination into progress

Chaos into order

When you know where you're going, you can make decisions with confidence, understand your assignment, and say no to distractions, and when you're clear on your calling, you can run with perseverance.

The Seasons of Seeking

Every season of life does not come with a crystal-clear vision because God allows periods of waiting, wondering, and wandering for our spiritual development to teach us:

• Dependence on God: When we can't see the next step clearly, we learn to trust the One who can see the whole path.
• Patience in the process: God's timing is perfect, even when it doesn't align with our timeline.
• Preparation for purpose: A delay is God's way of preparing us for what He wants to give us.
• Refinement of character: Uncertain seasons often shape our character in ways that stable seasons cannot.

In a season of seeking, hold onto hope, and ask, seek, and knock, for God delights in granting clarity to those who earnestly pursue His will.

Practical Steps to Receive Clarity

1. Create space for listening: Clarity often stems from quiet moments during prayer, reflection, and listening to God when we're not rushing or striving.
2. Journal your prayers and thoughts: Writing allows you to process the divine stirrings in your heart and serves as a beautiful testament to God's unwavering faithfulness throughout your journey.
3. Seek wise counsel: God often speaks through the counsel of mature believers who know you well and can help you discern His voice.
4. Pay attention to patterns: Whatever themes show up in your prayers, conversations, or circumstances could be a sign of God speaking via repetition.
5. Take inventory of your gifts and passions: The way God wired you and what breaks your heart or energizes you are often clues to your calling.
6. Begin where you are: You don't need complete clarity to take the next step because clarity can come as we move forward in faith.

When the Vision Becomes Clear

Once God gives you clarity, your responsibility shifts from seeking to stewarding, meaning:

• Acting on what you know: Clarity without action becomes confusion, and only God can give vision to individuals who will act on it.
• Sharing it appropriately: Not everyone needs to know your vision, but the right people do - those who can support, encourage, and hold you accountable.
• Protecting it from doubt and criticism: Protect what God has given you while remaining open to His counsel because everyone will not understand your vision.
• Reviewing and refining it regularly: Your vision of God's desire may heighten as you evolve and your circumstances change.

Running with Endurance

The ultimate goal of clarity is to know where you're going and how to run with endurance to:

• Make decisions that align with your purpose
• Say no to good opportunities that aren't God's opportunities
• Persist through challenges because you remember why you're running
• Inspire others because clarity is contagious
• Finish strong because you know the race you're running

Your Calling Awaits

The vision is waiting, clarity is coming, and your calling is clear.

If you're in a season of uncertainty, don't retreat into fear or frustration - pause, pray, and get your pen ready, your heart open, and ask God to reveal what He needs to activate your faith.

Once you have clarity, you can finally start running, not just with your feet, but with your whole life toward the purpose God has designed uniquely for you.

Clarity is not only for your benefit; it also serves everyone who graces your presence because of your obedience to fulfill what God has called you to do.

What is God revealing to you today, and what vision is He encouraging you to write down?