Calling and Destiny are cousins. Henrietta Mears knew that the young people she worked with, especially in the college age, were trying to figure out their purpose in life. They wanted to find a fulfilling vocation, find a spouse and raise a family. They also hungered for significance. Sound familiar?
“She taught so that her students could become all God intended them to be. Teacher once stated that the only thing she wanted students to do was, ‘to find out what God wishes them to do with their lives, and what the relationship between every word of God is to their individual personalities.’ Every person is created to represent God uniquely. She worked to help young people see how God wanted to use their individuality to further the Kingdom. By growing continually in their understanding of the Bible they learned to fulfill God’s purposes for their lives.”*
I believe we all are hungry for significance and we all, knowingly or not, want to know about our calling and destiny. Webster’s says calling is: “A strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.” For our purpose I will add: we are all called to relationship with God and with that there are general characteristics of life that all believers are called to live into. The following passage gives a glimpse of some of what that looks like. [emphasis mine]
Colossians 3:12 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,….” [ESV] Thanks to the Holy Spirit we can have the love and power to live that way.
So what is Destiny? “A predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency.” (Webster’s) I will add from Psalm 139 where the Psalmist says to our Creator:
“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” v16-17
That’s destiny. Our creator made each one of us for specific reasons and purposes, even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. Our journey to find those specifics often does not make sense to us. But in our fallen world life is rarely a straight line. It is sure, however, that even if we feel lost, we are never lost to the maker of heaven and earth. The one who made us loves us and never stops thinking about us.
What I am about to tell you may or may not be encouraging to you. It will probably depend on your current longevity on earth. Henrietta Mears was 38 years old before she really entered a mature version of her destiny. I was 40 before I felt I had hit my stride. Now at 60 I feel like I am beginning to do things that all the other stuff I’ve done up to this point in life is beginning to come together….
So here is my word of encouragement to all of you still wondering what you will be when you grow up. Be faithful to do what God had put in front of you now, whether small or large. Live into your general calling to faith, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and you will be on the path of your destiny!
Abba, Thank you for our calling and destiny! It is amazing how You created every one of us for specific reasons with one of a kind gifts and talents. We are blessed because you never stop thinking about us! We cling to your promise in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 that: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” We do not have to strive to find our destinies, because you lead us as we faithfully follow you in the seemingly little things. Abba, Shine your light and your truth and lead us on a level path. And help us hang on through the unavoidable twists and turns of life. Amen
*From my ‘in-the-works’ book on Henrietta Mears
