In the early part of my Christian life, I had this overshadowing sense that the Lord wanted to do something big and amazing through me. I couldn’t explain it, but others could see and sense it.
We didn’t know that there was a name for it back then in our small-to-medium-sized denominational church. I thought it might encompass, though not be limited to, a missionary call overseas to a particular country which sadly, to this day, I never made, although I went to other countries. Years later, after I thought I would never make it to this country where I’d been called, my sense of destiny evaporated.
While my spirit was withering, I went to visit, then joined, a church where they often talked about this thing called destiny. As I heard it described, warned, and encouraged, I felt I’d finally gotten a label, an understanding, of what that overshadowing sense was so long ago.
Destiny was not a movie-crafted, local-boy-undergoes-outrageous-odds-and-becomes-an-unintended-warrior-and-hero story. Destiny was a real, live, God-called, God-sized, God-crafted, and God-directed future of amazing things which He wants to accomplish in and through any child of His who was willing to devote their hearts and lives fully to Him. Real life with God is always better than a movie!
Real life involves real people with real problems and an even more real God who loves to deal with both and, by grace, uses us to accomplish this.
I will admi
t, it is fun, gratifying, amazing, and humbling to be used by the Lord to work with real people and real problems. The challenges come when you and I try to reach our God-sized, God-called destinies with our puny fleshly minds, limited resources, and finite energies.
I know what that’s like! I myself have made some stupid choices in the past and don’t want to make any more big mistakes. However, I suspect that my being moved across the country at His directive this summer has something to do with my returning sense of destiny, although I never made it to the country of my original calling. I’m learning to walk by faith and not sight at a whole new level. Another confirmation that I’m supposed to be here was, just today, winning a $50 Chipotle gift card via IG from fellow blogger Girly-Christian (https://girly-christian.com/ ) when my finances were low and I’ve never won anything online! (Thank you again, Girly Christian!)
I don’t know what destiny might be for you, my single Christian friend. I don’t know if it will include marriage now, later, or ever, for either of us. Are you ready for that? I don’t know if 
He’s going to give you a platform from which to share your testimony, proclaim the gospel, or demonstrate your inborn talents and skills. There are an infinite number of combinations of talents, gifts, and callings within the body of Christ, so there is no need for comparisons, jealousies, or imitations. Remember, we are all “the called” according to His purposes and He has called us to obey the light He has given us, Romans 8:28.
My journey on the road to destiny has challenged me through many life lessons that I hope you can use somewhere in your own journey.
- Living by sight will not accomplish the works He wants us to do by faith, Hebrews 11:6.
- Don’t try to force by the flesh what God’s trying to do by His Spirit. He’ll let you try and fail miserably. God’s people have a long track record of doing this.
Remember Abraham’s trying to “help God keep His promises” by obeying his wife’s impatient directive to father a child through her maid Hagar (Genesis 12:1-4, 15:1-6, and 16)? That’s why we have all that turmoil in the Middle East today. How about when Peter offered to memorialize Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-6? God had to tell Peter, basically, to shut up and obey His Son!
- Failure and mistakes were built into God’s timetable for your destiny. He is not surprised or derailed by anything you or anyone else, including your enemies, does.
- Having said that, a long obedience in the right direction might get you to your destiny faster with fewer headaches and “detours.”
- You will have to develop all the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24), but especially the fruit of long-suffering and self-control (2 Peter 1:5-9). You won’t make it without these two hardy companions.
- Focus and determination are essential for the journey to destiny. It’s too easy to be broadsided or distracted into turning aside by the world, the flesh, and the devil (John 10:10, 1 John 2:15-17). Stay focused with godly friends who understand this journey into destiny and are willing to travel with you as they explore their own
callings. - You will have to make some sacrifices along the way. I’ve had to sacrifice my pride, privacy, health, and some relationships to go the direction He wants me going because they won’t fit where He’s taking me. What are you willing to give up to obey God and find out what His destiny is for you?
Don’t throw away your time, energy, and resources on just surviving from day to day, my friend. Obey Him long enough to triumph and see what He had in mind for you all along. And give God the glory today for all He’s done and about to do!
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Ephesians 3:20 MSG
Let Him.
