Mensa Otabil - Having a Vision and Setting Goals (10/05/2025)
You’re welcome to the first full week of the year 2022. It’s already the third day of the year, and that shows you how quickly time moves. We need to get our lives on track as we face this new year. This week, I’m going to share some practical thoughts with you on how to deal with the year as we begin to take the first steps. Today, I’m talking about having a vision and setting goals. I read from Proverbs chapter 29, verse 18: «Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the law, happy is he.»
To make the most of the year or any long time span, whether it’s a year, five years, or ten years, we need to have a long-term view of that period. Having that long-term view of seeing the year from afar is generally what we call a vision. Apart from seeing the big picture of how we want January to December in this year to be, we also need to break that vision into pieces, which we call goal setting.
So, having a vision is important, but we must learn to set goals. The scripture tells us that where there is no vision, the people perish. We are sustained and kept on track by the quality of how we see life, from where we see it, and what we are working our way toward. When we live our lives without a clear picture of what we want to achieve, our lives become haphazard, and all kinds of people set the agenda for us. Before you realize it, time is passing, and you haven’t achieved anything.
It’s important to have that big picture, but sometimes having a big picture can also be very confusing. You want to do something significant, but you don’t even know how to start. That’s why it’s essential to break down your vision into goals. These processes can be a little challenging because you can’t just have a vision on the run or set goals on the run. You have to sit down, make time, and the scripture says to have a vision, you need to write it down.
So, write down what your big picture is. Maybe all you want in this year is to have good health, or maybe all you want is to be in a better relationship with your spouse or children. That’s the big thing you want to have-that’s your vision. It’s good to have that vision, but what are the steps you’re going to take to be in good health or to have a good relationship or grow spiritually? Those goals are very important. For you to accomplish them, you need to take the time to write them down, spending probably the first couple of weeks in January putting your thoughts and the steps you want to take on paper. Your vision must be broken down into goals.
The NIV renders our passage today a little differently than how the King James Version puts it. The King James Version says, «Where there is no vision, the people perish.» The NIV says, «Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.» I like that because it gives us a clearer picture of what it means not to have a vision or to perish. It doesn’t mean that when you don’t have a vision, your life will be destroyed, but the perishing means that your life will be like water flowing without a pipeline. There will be nothing to direct your flow; there is nothing to guide where you’re going.
When you have no vision, you are like water flowing without a tap or a pipe. We call it a pipe burst, and the water spills all over the place. That’s what your life is without a vision-it’s all over the place. You’re doing many things, running around but achieving nothing. However, with a vision, it’s like having a pipe for your water; it goes straight to where you want to direct it, to the faucet or wherever you need it, serving a purpose. Your vision helps guide your energies, efforts, and focus.
So, the first thing we’re starting with this year is to state what our vision is, break it down into goals, and work through each one until we achieve something purposeful for our lives. So, in 2022, we need to have a vision and the goals to achieve that vision.
Let’s pray. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, help me to live purposefully this year. Give me the discipline to follow through with your plan for my life. In Jesus' name, amen.»
That’s how we start the first full week of 2022, the year of increase. It’s going to be amazing with vision and goals. I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.