“Vision in Action: Writing, Running, and Waiting on God’s Plan”

“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)

By Enoma Ogbomoh

Today we stand on sacred ground, at the intersection of vision and action, at the threshold where faith meets purpose. We turn our hearts and minds to the words of the prophet Habakkuk, whose name means “to embrace” or “to wrestle.” In a time of turmoil, Habakkuk wrestled with God, asking difficult questions ; why do the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to flourish? Why does it feel as though justice is delayed, and why does it seem that heaven is silent in moments of despair?

In the midst of these deep and unsettling questions, God responds; not with immediate deliverance but with divine direction. He commands Habakkuk to “write the vision.” God invites the prophet, and by extension, each one of us, to be part of His unfolding plan. A plan not always visible to the naked eye, but one that is sure and steadfast, working in ways we cannot always comprehend.

Today, I invite you to journey with me through the layers of this profound message. The words spoken to Habakkuk are not relics of a distant past but living instructions for us today. They call us to understand three key aspects of our walk with God: to write, to run, and to wait. Let us explore how these actions become the pillars of a life that trusts in God’s vision.

1. Writing the Vision: Trusting in Divine Clarity

The Lord’s first instruction to Habakkuk is clear: “Write the vision.” Notice that God does not tell him to conceive a vision but to write the vision that God Himself has revealed. The source of this vision is not human imagination or ambition, but divine revelation. This is the first and most important truth ; our vision must come from God.

To write the vision is to capture the revelation in a form that can be understood, remembered, and shared. It means we must make it plain, simple, and accessible, not obscured by complexity or confusion. The vision God gives is not meant to be a riddle for the few, but a clear direction for all who seek His purpose.

When God gives a vision, He also gives clarity. The act of writing it down solidifies it in our hearts and minds. It becomes an anchor in seasons of doubt, a reminder when we waver, and a declaration of trust in God’s ultimate wisdom.

What vision has God placed in your heart? Have you written it down? Have you made it plain? Often, the process of writing helps us to solidify the Word of God in our spirit. It takes the ethereal and makes it tangible. It turns a whisper from heaven into a roadmap for earth.

2. Running with the Vision: Moving in Faith and Obedience

The second part of this instruction is equally vital: “that he may run that readeth it.” Writing the vision is not enough. There is a call to action, to movement, to motion. Faith, by its very nature, is dynamic. It does not sit idle or passive, waiting for things to happen. Instead, it runs in response to God’s revealed will.

Running with the vision means that we act upon it. We begin to align our steps, our plans, our priorities with what God has shown us. We do not sit and wait for the perfect conditions before we act, for as Ecclesiastes reminds us, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap” (Ecclesiastes 11:4). There is a season for waiting, but there is also a season for running, and the two are not in opposition but in harmony.

The runner does not wait until everything is perfectly in place. They begin the race because they trust the vision. As we run with the vision, we may encounter challenges, delays, and even opposition. But we run nonetheless, knowing that the one who has begun a good work in us is faithful to complete it.

3. Waiting for the Vision: Trusting in God’s Timing

After writing and running, there comes the most challenging part ; waiting. As we read further into Habakkuk 2, verse 3 says: “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

This is perhaps the most difficult aspect of living by faith ; trusting in God’s timing. We live in a world that demands instant results. We are conditioned to expect immediate responses, fast solutions, and quick turnarounds. But God’s kingdom operates on divine timing, which often differs from ours.

The vision is for an appointed time, meaning that God’s purpose unfolds according to His sovereign calendar. And while we wait, we must not lose heart. Waiting is not a passive state, but an active stance of faith. It is in the waiting that God refines our character, strengthens our resolve, and deepens our trust.

We should not despise the waiting season. It is in the waiting that God prepares us for what is to come. Just as the farmer plants the seed and waits for the harvest, trusting the process even when the seed is buried beneath the soil, we too must trust that the vision, though it may seem delayed, will surely come to pass.

Conclusion:

As we reflect on this passage from Habakkuk, we are reminded that God’s vision for our lives is both a gift and a responsibility. He calls us to write it, to clarify it so that we do not lose sight of His purpose. He calls us to run with it, moving in faith and obedience toward the goal He has set before us. And He calls us to wait for it, trusting that in His perfect timing, every promise will come to pass.

So, I ask you today: What is the vision God has revealed to you? Have you written it down, made it plain upon the tablets of your heart? Are you running with it, despite the obstacles that may lie in your path? And are you waiting for it with patience and trust, knowing that God is never late, though He may tarry? Recall John 11:39? Even when it appeared He was four days late, He was still on time. 

May we, like Habakkuk, have the courage to embrace the vision of God for our lives, to run with it even when the way is unclear, and to wait with faith when the promise seems distant. For the vision will surely come, and when it does, it will not lie, for the One who gave it is faithful.

Amen.