The practice of the vision quest is one that goes back for millennia; cultures all over the world have their different traditions. The idea of a vision quest has been one that I've been interested in for years, not along the lines of Native Americas connecting with their spirit ancestors, but in getting alone with God in the wilderness to hear from Him. I've heard people talk about spiritual retreats, or even sabbaticals, where they take a break from ministry and life for a while, to rest and refuel. While these are good practices, I feel that the vision quest is something different, and it's a practice that has been lost in our modern culture.
Vision is one of the most crucial elements of life. The Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained" (Pr. 29.18a). Vision is the thing that guides all that we do. It gives us direction during difficult and uncertain times. It focuses our efforts to make sure we continue to progress towards the ultimate goal. Vision helps us to pour our efforts and resources into what matters. And for us as men, vision guides us into the mission we were created for by God.
We can waste our entire life, going through the motions, without vision. By the world's standards we could do very well, get the big house, fancy car, promotion, kids through college and on to successful careers, but life is about more than just getting to the end with some money left to leave as an inheritance to your kids and grandkids (though that is a Biblically commendable aspiration, Proverbs 13.22). I've lived that way, and it sucked the life out of me. For a long time my goal was to work, buy a house with some land, put my girls through college, help people along the way, and die an old man. And at this point, that idea terrifies me. I still want a good piece of ground, I'm working towards becoming a professor, in part so my girls get free college, and I want to help people before dying as an old man, but recently my life has become focused on more than that.
Last year I took what would become my first vision quest. It started as a sort of Survival excursion, putting myself in a tame version of an episode of Les Stroud's Survivorman. A pastor friend dropped me off in the woods with minimal supplies, tarp, paracord, my knife, and some water, and I was going to spend two nights alone in the woods. I built my shelter and settled in for the night, and then God began to speak to me.
The next day I got up and began to walk. I found a place to sit and thought about what God had said the previous night, and after processing it, I started walking again. I would walk until God gave me a place to sit, and then He would reveal something else, and the process went on all day. I have the 3x5 index cards still of what God revealed to me during those hours alone with Him in the woods.
In just a few hours I'll be headed out for my second vision quest. This one is going to be shorter than last years, last year was right around 24 hours, this one is going to be less than 20. I've been looking at the ancient practice of the vision quest, and they put my feeble efforts to shame. They involved 3-4 days of preparation, involving a total fast of food and water to cleanse the body. After this you go alone into the wilderness for three days, and then there are practices and rituals for when you return. The entire process was over a week long. Right now I'm lucky to get these few hours, but I hope to one day be able to take three days each summer to get a vision from God for the upcoming year.
I feel that I have a big picture idea of my mission, and where God has my life going, partly the result from last year's quest, and from the journey with my brothers since then. However, the vision is vague in terms of the details on how to get there. God doesn't reveal the entire journey all at once. I think He gives us the destination, and then reveals small sections of the map at a time.
I think all men need a vision quest, and you need to get alone in nature, there are things that cannot be learned anywhere else, and allow God to speak to you about your life, identity, and mission. I'm headed into the woods tonight, the brother I am calling this month is headed out next Friday. There are things God wants to reveal to us that He will not unless we take the time to get alone with Him.
A few thoughts that I've found, though I am by no means an expert:
1) A vision quest needs to involve a fast. Giving up on something your body needs in order to more directly focus on God is important.
2) A vision quest needs to happen in nature. You have to get away from people and technology, all of the distractions, to be alone with God and really hear from Him.
3) A vision quest needs to be approached with an open mind. Go into this expecting to hear from God, but don't have an agenda for when or what God needs to say. Last year I was going to spend two nights in the woods, but God let me know that we were done earlier than that. God spoke to me about things I had never realized, and began a work of healing in my life that has helped me to focus on the real vision.
The practice of vision questing needs to be revived. If we would be the men God called us to be, we have to get His vision for our lives, and that only happens through intentionally seeking Him. The Bible is full of accounts of men going off into the wilderness to hear from God, and returning with their mission to undertake. Let us follow their example.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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