Vision is deeply connected to leadership. In fact, many have hinted that you can’t be a leader without vision. But the word “vision” overwhelms many as it can sound intimidating, like everything is dependent on some magical experience in front of a dry-erase board on a vision retreat.
Christian leaders have an unfair advantage when it comes to vision development. To have a vision requires holding both burden and belief at the same time. A burden of “this must not be this way” and the belief that change can happen. Holding both burden and belief simultaneously is incredibly challenging and makes true vision rare. But Christians are well-equipped to hold burden and belief simultaneously, because our faith recognizes both the pain of a broken world and the promise that God will make all things new. Christians should be the best at holding both burden and belief because our faith insists both are true all the time.
Nehemiah gives us a great example of the deep work beneath the surface that results in true vision. He did not get away for a “visionary whiteboard session” with friends over lattes. He did not “manifest the vision” on a whiteboard with a blue marker. When he heard that Jerusalem’s wall lay in ruins and the people were in disgrace, he sat down and wept. For days he mourned, fasted, and prayed. That was the burden.
But burden alone is not enough. If you have burden without belief, you will only see the ruined wall. You will only speak of the brokenness, the challenges, and the struggles. Your “no one understands how hard this is” posture will not inspire anyone, not for long. Burden without belief will leave you cynical and jaded.
So, while carrying the burden that bombarded him, Nehemiah turned to God. Much of the first chapter of his leadership journal is his prayer, a prayer filled with belief that the God who had scattered His people could also bring them home.
You need both roots of burden and belief to get to the beautiful fruit of vision. And as a Christian, you already know what it is like to carry burden and belief at the same time. You are more equipped for vision than perhaps you have known. In my new book, The Rooted Leader, there is a whole chapter designed to help you develop a fruitful vision based on the intermingling roots of burden and belief. You can order a copy here.
