The dark side of our human nature pulls us down into worry. When we face a problem our minds often rush to worry about the worst case of what could happen. We have one financial challenge and we imagine ourselves living in a dumpster. We have one physical pain and we imagine ourselves dying of a dreaded disease. 

Too much worry is the enemy of living with vision for what God has for us. Living with a faith vision that God loves me, that God will provide for me and that God will bless me as I obey him is what moves me forward to take the steps of faith that God wants to bless. Living on the fuel of vision over worry is what moves me to learn new things, to go to new places, meet new people and attempt new and better things. 

Joshua and Caleb in the Old Testament were the poster children for living on vision. They were the only ones out of the twelve spies who returned from Canaan with a vision report that the land was good and that Israel could possess it by faith in God. The other ten reported their worst case worries, that the people of that land would squash them like bugs. 

Guess what? Their outlooks created their outcomes. The ten worry warts swayed the people to reject God’s plan to go in and possess the Promised Land. So, God judged that generation of adults with the promise that they would all die in the desert. Joshua and Caleb would then lead their children, forty years later, to possess the land. And they did. Joshua and Caleb had their best days of victory and blessing beginning in their eighties! 

Wayne Graham is the eighty year old head coach of the Rice University Baseball team in Houston. He has been the head coach for twenty-five years. He has led Rice baseball to twenty-one consecutive NCAA tournaments. He has led them to seven NCAA World Series. When asked about retiring he said he would keep going because he liked it and he had a lot to offer in experience. He also pointed out that Clint Eastwood is still directing movies at eighty-five and Robert Duvall is still acting at eighty-five. You know what that is? It’s vision thinking. He is looking ahead to what good could happen. 

When you are tempted to dwell on worst case worries, intentionally speak the truth to yourself. God loves me. God will provide for me. And God will bless me as I obey him. Your vision outlook will energize you to take the steps that God will bless with good outcomes. 

What’s the worst case worry that you have to keep clearing out of your mind? Mine is that I am too stupid to succeed or that I don’t deserve it, so I am doomed to fail. What’s yours? Let’s intentionally change our thoughts to vision and faith truth. Really, are you courageous enough to share with us your worst case worry?