“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” — William Shakespeare

In the past few weeks, the concept of personal destiny has entered my life in an animated and quite unorthodox way 🙂 A few days ago, I was delighted to once again watch Kung Fu Panda with three loved ones who had never seen it. The movie is a Dreamwork’s animation about a fun-loving, average panda named Po who ends up fulfilling his destiny (becoming the Dragon Warrior) to the surprise of all who live in the Valley of Peace.  At times, even Po is surprised by the events that transpire in his life – doubting that the dreams of his heart are truly within his grasp or capability.

Po dreams of becoming a master of kung fu, but his life isn’t surrounded by the martial arts, it’s surrounded by noodles 🙂  His father, Mr. Ping, who owns a noodle shop, has already determined Po’s destiny – carrying on the family business and tradition because “broth runs through their veins.” 🙂

But noodles don’t seem to fit Po’s dreams and the ultimate destiny he envisions for his life.  As the story unfolds, I love how it reveals the aspects of our destiny that are far beyond our ability to control, the value of believing in things that seem impossible…and understanding the key or “secret ingredient” in fulfilling your destiny is YOU 🙂

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I highly recommend it.  I love the moral themes and character undertones it reveals – especially those dealing with fulfilling our destiny and becoming all we were created to be.

Do you believe you have an individual destiny, one that has already been determined and predestined for you?  Do you feel like your current circumstances don’t match or connect with the dreams you have in your heart?  Do you understand your role – the part you play when it comes to fulfilling your destiny?

Your God-Given Destiny

“There is no greater discovery than seeing God as the author of your destiny.” — Ravi Zacharias

The Bible tells us that each of us has a God-given destiny, a purpose behind our existence, one that God has planned and was aware of long before we were even born.

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book, they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet… there were none of them.” – Psalm 139:16 NKJV

The idea that each of us has a purpose here, one that is ultimately good in nature and filled with hope and not despair, should be comforting and reassuring to each of us!  Knowing that God has planned our destiny long before we were ever born should give us a sense of awe and a resolute disposition – eager to fulfill His purposes in all we do.

The first step in fulfilling our God-given destiny is believing in the fact that it exists.  Many of us don’t believe God has a good plan for our life based on our current circumstances.  We look around and see pieces of our life that don’t fit with our dreams.  We suffer, we hurt, and we feel confused.  We believe God can’t possibly have a good plan amongst all the disarray and dysfunction that surrounds us.

But God has promised us He has an individual plan for our life and we must learn to embrace it as our life unfolds – believing that every event, situation, and relationship, whether good or bad, fits into His master plan for us – one that is ultimately good and filled with hope!

Joseph had to keep believing in his dream and destiny in the midst of slavery and false imprisonment.  Hannah had to hold on to her dream of a son through all the years of mocking and being barren.  Abraham and Sarah, as they faced the facts of being childless in their old age, needed to hold on to God’s promise of birthing a nation when it seemed impossible on the surface.

In each of these examples, God’s good and perfect plan was ultimately fulfilled.  The destiny of Joseph, Hannah, Abraham and Sarah unfolded, but it wasn’t absent of pain, doubt, or undeserved suffering along the way.

How about you?  Has an unexpected death caused you to discount God’s good plan and destiny for your life?  Are you engulfed with circumstances that don’t fit your dreams?  Has sickness, financial troubles, or destructive relationships clouded your view of God’s good and perfect destiny for you?

You must first make a choice to believe that God HAS a plan for your life irregardless of the circumstances surrounding you, but secondly, you must connect with the role you play in the process of fulfilling your destiny.  Like Po, you must understand that YOU are the secret ingredient!

Believing that God indeed has a good plan for your life needs to be followed with a reverential understanding of the power your daily decisions hold in seeing that plan through.  You can choose to believe in God’s destiny for you and choose to make decisions that embrace it, or you can choose to create your own destiny – one that is far from God’s desires and plans.

What kinds of choices keep us centered in God’s destiny for us?

• Ensure that your decisions are centered in God’s principles for living.  One cannot fulfill their God-given destiny by making choices that are outside of God’s laws and values.  You cannot fulfill your destiny by being dishonest at work or remaining vengeful and unforgiving.  If you act in this manner, outside of God’s values and principles, you are in essence driving your own destiny – one that is far from the hopeful future that God has promised in His plan for you.

• Learn to be patient – not making reactive, sudden decisions or moving in a direction without prayerfully consideration. God has promised to reveal His wisdom to us if we ask Him in faith (James 1:5).  If we move ahead quickly based on our own knowledge and understanding, we can place ourselves outside of God’s perfect timing for us.

• Understand that your ability to fulfill your God-given destiny isn’t tied to one or two major decisions you make in your life – it flows out of decisions made in each hour of every day.

Destinies are driven by making the right decision RIGHT NOW and watching the chain reaction that begins to unfold.  The destiny of a good parent is fulfilled over time – choosing to make quality decisions in each interaction with their child.  The destiny of a great leader is not developed by one or two major decisions they make; it is crafted in each small, seemingly insignificant choice in every hour of everyday.

We all make mistakes – poor decisions that take us far away from God’s plan for us.  The good news is this:  All it takes is one good decision to place us back in the center of God’s destiny for us! Remember the Scripture I mentioned earlier – God has seen each day of our life before we were ever formed (Psalm 139:16).  He has known of each mistake and mishap and He has already created circumstances that will help us get back on track.  He is the God of second chances!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

Here is a personal revelation I’ve had this week about God’s plan and destiny for us:

If we BELIEVE He has a good one planned for us and if we CONNECT with our role in seeing it through by living within His principles, making sound decisions, and waiting for His timing to unfold, then our God-given destiny will ultimately be fulfilled!  It will flow into our lives regardless of good or bad circumstances, regardless of evil people or events. It will evolve in spite of all that is happening in this world currently.

It will inevitably come to pass – undeterred and UNDAUNTED!

Today, I pray that you believe God has an individual destiny for you filled with ultimate good – one overflowing with hope of a great future!  I hope you connect with how irrelevant your current circumstances (either good or bad) are in relationship to its fulfillment.  I pray that you look at your daily decisions with great reverence – understanding that YOU are the “secret ingredient” in helping your destiny unfold.  Most of all, I pray that you see it as sacred, inevitable, undeterred, and undaunted – having confidence in God and His perfect timing.

“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’  My times are in your Hands.” – Psalm 31:14-15 NIV