What do you do when life doesn’t turn out the way you had hoped? When the things you were so sure about don’t happen. In fact, the complete opposite has happened. What do you do when you realize that the things you dreamed of, may never unfold? Because perhaps they weren’t God’s dream for your life, but your own. Perhaps the destiny you have been chasing in your mind, all of these years, is preventing you from stepping into the real destiny that God has for you.
Time has a way of bringing us to our end. Physically and metaphorically. I can relate to everything mentioned as this has been the story of my life to date. And after 20+ years of fighting God’s plan for my life. I have reached a point where I have given up. Not in the sense of a lack of a will to live but in the sense of a lack of a will to keep fighting against God’s plan. I bet I know what you’re thinking..why did it take 20 years to finally come to this place?..well..it comes back to the time thing. You see when I became a Christian the transformation in my life was both amazing and confusing.
Growing up religious it took a bit for me to realize that I really didn’t know God at all. I only followed rules that made me feel guilty when I couldn’t live up to them. I battled with depression, loneliness, and self-hatred although I went to church regularly and even encouraged people to seek God. My life mirrored the first part of 2 Tim 3:5- Having a form of godliness but denying its power. But when I truly encountered God, the conversion of my life took place. I detail all of this and the aftermath of becoming a born-again Christian in my book, Why the Wait.
For years after I came to Christ, everything that I did was done with the desire in my heart to be a missionary, a dream that I dug my heels in and refused to let go of. Although that itself wasn’t a bad thing, it wasn’t God’s plan. And as I waited years for the man that would come along and join me in this endeavor. I bumped into my friend, Time. After years of doing what I know to do, and waiting, I realized I wasn’t living. I was so focused on staying on track waiting, I wasn’t pursuing anything. Things had to change! I never I would no longer continue to live in this manner.
While working full-time, I went back to school and finally finished my degree program. I bought a house, and did some traveling, all while staying involved and committed to my church. And then the page turned. Eighteen years after becoming a Christian, I was presented with the opportunity to adopt from China…just like that. It literally dropped right on my lap and changed the course of my life. It was then I realized what God’s plan wasn’t. But then came the question…if my destiny wasn’t what I thought, then what was it?
Do you find yourself in a similar place my friend? Have you dug your heels in and perhaps pursued things that weren’t God’s plan? Or are you in a place where you feel like time has passed you by and you don’t know what you should be doing in God’s great economy? Time has a way of reminding us of our past, our current circumstances, and the question of the future. One of the most challenging times as a Christian is the periods of waiting. These periods are where time seemingly stands still as you await God’s promises, an answer to prayer, a change in circumstances, or any of the desperate needs, that we bring before Him.
As we get older we tend to reassess where we are and where we think we should be and it can be very discouraging if our measure of success or fulfillment is determined by what goals we haven’t reached, or accomplished rather than measured through the lens of living out God’s plan. His plan often involves years of what seems like pauses coupled with silence, perhaps sorrows, loneliness, and even deep valleys with depths that seem almost bottomless. But in the place of total surrender. God steps in and His plan begins to unfold, in the most unexpected way.
Hang in there, my friend. The things that you face today, will not always be your tomorrow. God is faithful to reveal His plan which He has been in control of, the entire time.
Let God be your single hope!