Limited vision limits provision…

Limited vision limits provision...
’“Daddy, I’m thirsty!”
My wife Joy, our two daughters (ages 8 and 11 at the time) and I are on a “dream vacation” on St. John, US Virgin Islands.
We had set out on a hike in unfamiliar territory. The trail is longer than we expect. The terrain is rougher than we anticipate. The area is remote.
We use up our limited supply of drinking water, and there seems to be no way to get more (even though we are surrounded by the crystal blue ocean).
We each begin to envision our favorite drinks. An iced Mountain Dew. A creamy vanilla milkshake.
We each picture what would satisfy our own thirst.
As we continue to hike with no end in sight, our discomfort and anxiety grows. With each passing mile our limited vision of provision starts to expand.
We are no longer looking for the perfect drink. We just want something... anything to meet our need for rest, encouragement and hydration.
Eventually, we come upon a few people sitting under a small pavilion. We are grateful, to sit in the shade and rest! We notice and enjoy a slight, cooling breeze.
We recognize the shade and breeze as gifts that provide rest and refreshment in our current experience.
As we release our expectations for what provision “should look like,” we expand our opportunities to see what provision for us "does look like."
We look around hopefully. Still no source of water in sight.
I go from one person to another asking if anyone has any form of hydration that they can spare. One couple offers a half-filled gallon jug of water.
The water is lukewarm (from being in the intense sun). It is just plain old water. It does not fulfill our earlier desires for “fantasy beverages.”
With our expanded vision, we see this water as perfect provision.
Receiving that simple provision of water feels miraculous. I would have paid any price for that water. But the couple gives it freely, without cost. We are grateful.
We continue our hike refreshed and energized. Not only do these fellow hikers share their resource of water, but they share their knowledge about the trail. They answer our questions:
“How much farther?”
“How hard is the rest of the trail?”
“How long will it take?”
Through that knowledge we gain other valuable resources. Now we are hydrated, confident and empowered.
For me, this experience of tangible connection that we share with these “total strangers” is powerful and life transforming.
Initially I believed:
The Myth:
The only available resources are what I expect.
Through this experience I discover that my perception of available resources is limited to my expectations.
The Model:
My vision of provision expands when I open to new possibilities and invite others into our shared process.
To Practice:
Occasionally, choose to bypass “expected provision” when trying to solve a problem. Instead, choose to look for, recognize and use “new to me” alternative resources. Can I use my need as an opportunity to grow, to experience new resources and new connections?
Want to practice "Expanding your provision" with me? Then grab a refreshing drink and check out this week's Abundance Challenge video! :)