Destiny – A predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control

I have been thinking about destiny a lot lately. It might be because I realize that I am getting older everyday, or because I have a daughter on the way, or it could be the funeral I attended of twelve year old Jamie Farr who gave her life in a house fire trying to save her aunt. I believe it is probably a fusion of all of the above. Personally, I believe I have wasted years waiting for my “day of destiny,” and recently I have come to the conclusion that destiny is a daily event that culminates into a life fulfilled.  Most of us who are even concerned with some sort of purpose will work toward what we believe to be that awesome day; but isn’t it interesting that the dictionary defines destiny as a course of events, not one big final showing for God’s approval.

As we embark on a new year, I believe ultimately our resolutions should focus on our daily lives more than it does the course of the year. Now I am not implying that we shouldn’t have long term goals, actually I believe the opposite as long as we have daily ambitions that push us to accomplish those goals. The preceding scripture lets us know that tomorrow is not promised, but if we look into it further, it says we don’t know for sure as if we could have years to come. Recently I shared with a group of teenagers that the guaranteed way to fulfill destiny takes two steps: acting and planning.

When we start acting like we don’t have long to live, then we really start living. How different would we treat people if we knew it was our last day? Suddenly certain things would no longer bother us, we would tend to be kind to even our enemies, and we would look to make a difference everywhere we were. Of course I am describing those of us who believe “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

Just as important as acting like today is our last, we also have to plan for the little time while we are here. We have to complete our education, save and invest our resources, maintain our health, and plan our time wisely. Our words and thoughts toward others must be managed, and we must take an account of our actions from yesterday and evaluate how that course of events plays into our destiny. Jamie Farr acted like she was coming out of that fire, but she smiled everyday like it was her last. The scripture also declares today is the day of salvation, well today is also a day of destiny. I do not want to prepare my whole life for one event and die before that time. Instead, I choose to look for purpose each day and believe that the smaller course of events play into God’s grand scheme. What does your day hold for you? Answer this and you might see what 2010 holds for you as well. This is Kingdom minded!!!