“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
Carl Jung
Are you awake to who you are intentionally designed to be or just reacting to the world around you?
This is one of the most challenging questions to sit with and one of the most freeing. So much of life pulls us in different directions—work, family, social expectations, personal goals—and it’s easy to find yourself chasing a vision that’s not really your own. But here’s the thing: until we take the time to look inward, to examine our hearts, we might just be sleepwalking through life, chasing dreams that don’t align with who we are or who God meant for us to be.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” KJV: It’s easy to get stuck when we don’t have a clear vision for our lives. But this isn’t just about setting goals. It’s about asking ourselves: Is this vision truly mine? Am I living the life and vision and fulfilling the purpose that I was designed to accomplish? Or am I just trying to live up to what others expect of me?
When your heart’s desires are out of sync with the path you’re walking, tension builds up inside. You might feel like you’re doing all the right things on paper but still feel unfulfilled. It’s a sign that the vision you’re chasing may not be the one God designed for you, but one shaped by external pressures.
One of the most personally impactful and clarifying resources I’ve found on this journey is Dangerous Prayers by Craig Groeschel. Over the past few years, its message and prayer processes have shifted how I approach both vision and understanding God’s purpose for my life. The book starts with a simple prayer I’ve found life-changing, challenging, and clarifying: “Search me.” This simple, powerful prayer invites you to look inward, asking God to reveal what’s in your heart. It’s about finding those deep desires and purposes that align with God’s design rather than what the world wants you to be.
The tension we feel—between our true selves and the expectations around us—can be a wake-up call. It’s like the first light of a sunrise, signaling the start of something new. A new day, a new chapter where you stop chasing what others think you should be and start living out the vision meant for you.
Here’s a challenge for today: take a moment to ask yourself, Am I living the dreams in my heart, or the ones others have handed me? If you feel a disconnect, it might be time to step back and listen to your heart. It could be the start of waking up to the life you were designed to live.
If you’re looking for a place to start, I highly recommend “Dangerous Prayers.” It’s been one of the most personally influential books I’ve read in a long time, and its approach to prayer has helped me align my heart and life in ways I never expected.
Here’s to waking up to a new day.
