WHEN GOD GIVES YOU A VISION, DON'T TELL EVERYONE

There are some things God puts in your heart that you should not announce immediately. I have learned this the hard way. Sometimes, when something exciting begins to happen in our lives, our first instinct is to tell people. We tell our friends. We tell colleagues. We post it on social media. We talk about it because we are excited, and honestly, we want someone to celebrate with us. But over the years, I have learned something important: Not everyone who hears your vision will understand it. And not everyone who understands it will support it. Nehemiah taught me something powerful about this. When Nehemiah heard about the condition of Jerusalem, his heart was broken. He prayed. He fasted. He sought God. Eventually, he received an opportunity to go and rebuild the walls. But when he arrived in Jerusalem, he did not immediately gather everyone and announce his plans. He inspected the walls first. He went out at night. He looked carefully at the situation. And then he spoke. That part of the story has always challenged me. Nehemiah had a vision, but he also had wisdom. He understood that having a vision does not mean everyone needs to know the vision immediately. There is a difference between secrecy and wisdom. Some people think that if you don't tell everyone what you are planning, you are being secretive. I don't believe that. Sometimes you are simply protecting something that is still growing. Think about a seed. When you plant a seed, you don't dig it up every morning to show everybody how it is growing. You leave it in the ground. You water it. You protect it. You give it time. And eventually, something appears. I think some dreams need the same treatment. There were moments in my own life when I wanted to explain everything I was planning. I wanted people to understand what I could see. But I discovered that sometimes explaining your vision to the wrong people can drain your energy. They may question it. They may laugh at it. They may tell you why it cannot work. And if you are not careful, you can begin to doubt something you were once confident about. This is why wisdom matters. Joseph had dreams, but when he shared them with his brothers, they did not celebrate him. They became jealous. Daniel also understood the importance of wisdom and discretion. And even Jesus often withdrew from the crowds when He needed time alone. There is a season to speak. There is also a season to remain quiet. The challenge is knowing the difference. I have come to believe that timing is part of wisdom. You don't have to announce every move. You don't have to explain every decision. You don't have to prove your vision to everybody. Sometimes the best thing you can do is pray, prepare, and keep moving. Let the results speak when the time comes. This doesn't mean we should refuse advice. Quite the opposite. Wise people seek counsel. But there is a difference between seeking wise counsel and broadcasting your plans to everybody. Know who has earned the right to hear what God has placed in your heart. Know who can correct you without destroying your confidence. Know who genuinely wants to see you succeed. And know when to keep quiet. Perhaps you are reading this tonight because you have something you are working on. Maybe it is a business. Maybe it is a book. Maybe it is a new career. Maybe it is a ministry. Maybe it is a personal transformation that nobody else can see yet. Don't become discouraged because people don't understand it. They don't have to understand it. You need to understand it. And more importantly, you need to know that God is leading you. Nehemiah did not waste his time trying to convince everyone before he started. He prayed. He inspected. He planned. Then he acted. There is something powerful about that sequence. Pray. Prepare. Move. And when the right time comes, speak. Your life does not need to be an open book to everybody. Some chapters are between you and God until the time comes to turn the page. That is one of the lessons that inspired me to write The Nehemiah Principle. Because leadership is not only about knowing what to do. Sometimes it is about knowing when to do it, who needs to know, and when to remain silent. Tonight, I leave you with this: Protect the vision. Prepare in silence. Pray for wisdom. And when the time is right, let your work speak. — Douglas Adomakoh