What is your destiny? Destiny is defined as the future destined for a person or thing. I don't believe in the popular notion of predestination which suggests that the circumstances of your life--good and evil--are etched in stoned and you are compelled to come into this world and live out an inevitable course of events. However, the Bible confirms that God sends us into the world with a predetermined plan and purpose. Every product created by man has a predetermined purpose, and similarly, every human created by God has a predetermined purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 in the Bible confirms that God has created a specific plan for each of our lives. It is a plan to prosper us, to give us hope and a future. This plan of God does not contain any design for harm whatsoever. God's plan for us is a best case scenario in which we live our very best, joy-filled lives, the life we don't expect is possible. However, God's planned life usually is not the one we live. Instead of surrendering to God's wisdom and living into his plan, we either live aimlessly, or we independently try to create a new plan, oblivious to the fact that only God knows the path to true joy.
So, how do you discover and live into your destiny? You discover your destiny by being honest about who you are and what you want from life. The most important fact is that your true destiny is destined to bring you inner joy and a sense of purpose regardless of the surrounding circumstances. It will be as a fire burning inside of you that cannot be quenched. Living your destiny may not be pain free, but you are guaranteed that any pain experienced was not ordained by God. It is the nature and consequence of life in a sinful world. Nor will living aimlessly or in accordance with your plan be pain free. The difference is that irrespective of whether or not you experience pain with God's plan, you always will emerge victorious. It is equivalent to the pain of childbirth that brings you to a place of increased joy. In contrast, the pain experienced from living aimlessly or following your plan often will point you in a negative direction. Thus, given that all three options--God's plan, your plan, or living aimlessly--are likely to involve pain, it may be practical to choose the option that offers the greatest reward from the pain and brings you to a place of increased joy. Identifying your true destiny, that is, the specific purpose for which God created you, is not necessarily a simple endeavor, but it is critical that you embark on the quest. For example, if an airplane was created to fly passengers, it should do so. It would not have fulfilled its purpose if it was created and merely placed motionless on an airport runway. In general, the things we create are designed to enhance our life on earth. Similarly, God creates for the specific purpose of enhancing his kingdom and our part in it. Some items, like door handles, are mass produced but have the specific and critical purpose of facilitating the opening of doors. God also creates people for the specific and critical purpose of opening the door to his kingdom for as many as seek to enter. Other items, such as stoves, are designed to increase the temperature of the food products we consume so as to make them edible. God also creates people whose role is to increase the spiritual temperature, purify his Word and make it nourishing and fit for consumption. Still other items are unique and singular, commissioned for a specific purpose. Among these are the New Year's Eve ball which in 1907, descended for the first time from the top of the building at One Times Square in New York City. The ball descends on a flag pole 141 feet for 60 seconds on New Year's Eve beginning at 11:59 a.m. After the new year has been announced at midnight, it is returned to its place at the top of the building. Only the one ball designed for that specific purpose can fulfill that role. God also creates people for a unique and singular purpose that no one else can fulfill. For example, the apostle Peter had the role of being an apostle of Jesus, but also the unique and singular role of opening the door to God's kingdom and ushering in the Church Age (Matthew 16:13-19; Acts 2:1-41). The purpose for which God created you may consume your entire life, or it may be a one time event that nonetheless marks the trajectory of your entire life. Moses had the purpose of freeing God's people from their enslavement in Egypt, Simon of Cyrene is known for having carried Jesus' cross (Mark 15:21), the apostle Paul had a purpose to evangelize the Gentile world, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a purpose to birth the Messiah and prepare him to complete his mission. One man, as with many others, is not named and may or may not have been a disciple of Jesus. He was purposed to provide an upper room in which Jesus could prepare for the Passover (Luke 22:7-22). He completed his mission and will receive his reward. Find your purpose, fulfill your destiny, and receive your reward.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
December 2020
Categories
|