Cherish your visions
“He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it.”
— James Allen
Reflection
“He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal, will one day realize it.” James Allen is not talking about wishful daydreaming; he is talking about a disciplined, enduring vision that shapes how you think, pray, and act. A beautiful vision is not a fantasy escape from reality. It is a picture of what could be that calls you to become more than you are.
Most people let their vision be dictated by their past or their present. If yesterday was hard and today is crowded, they quietly assume tomorrow will be the same. But a God‑honoring vision looks beyond current limitations. It asks, “What kind of person is God inviting me to become, and what kind of good could flow from that?” Then it holds that picture in mind long enough for it to affect daily choices.
Cherishing a vision means you return to it when you are tired, discouraged, or distracted. You refuse to let temporary setbacks convince you that the picture was a lie. Instead, you let the vision test your habits. Does how you spend your time, money, and attention agree with the future you say you want? When they do not, you adjust.
Over time, that quiet loyalty to a beautiful vision changes you first, and then your circumstances. You find yourself speaking, deciding, and acting more like the person you saw long before anyone else did.
And that’s worth thinking about.
— Vic Johnson
Putting It Into Practice
- Write a short, specific description of a “beautiful vision” for your life that honors God and serves others.
- Identify one daily habit that does not fit that vision and choose a small replacement action that does.
- Review your vision at the start or end of each day this week, asking God to align your thoughts and choices with it.
One Question To Ponder
If your current habits continued unchanged, would they eventually lead you toward or away from the vision you secretly hope for?
Get Weekly James Allen E-Meditations
Each week we send a short, powerful meditation on James Allen’s writings — plus simple, practical ways to live the teaching in your everyday life.
Think better. Live better. One James Allen insight at a time.