Destiny. Deep inside there is a longing for your life to have meaning and purpose. We ponder thoughts like why am I here? What difference am I making? Is there more to life than just getting up, going to work, coming home, watching TV and going to bed to get up and do it all over again?
We want to feel like we have left a mark in some way on this earth before we die. We want a destiny, a purpose.
When we were children, we had dreams. My eight-year-old friend says she wants to be an astronaut. There is something resident in her that makes her want to soar, see the world from a different perspective, go beyond where she is now.
Destiny Sidetracked
Somehow between the time we are eight and the time we are thirty-eight our dreams get dashed to pieces by the everyday struggle to just maintain … life.
Many of you may find yourself at that place right now, wondering where did my dreams go? I can’t think beyond finding enough money to pay the rent. Life seems relentless and dreams, a ridiculous thought of a child.
I firmly believe that God has a plan for each person’s life. Paul says, “We have become His poetry, a recreated people who will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it.”1
What happened then in those 30 years to sidetrack us from our destiny?
If there were only one force at work in the world, nothing would deter us from moving forward. Unfortunately there is an enemy whose specialty is to steal God’s vision for your life.
Jesus said, “The thief ‘s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give a rich and satisfying life.”2
Good Boundaries
To understand evil’s intent we need to understand that God provides some things to help us fulfill our destiny. One that we tend to ignore is having good boundaries for our life.
Scripture says, “A person without self control is like a city with broken down walls.”3 God gives us boundaries to protect us on the journey. Many times we see them as spoiling our fun or interfering with our lives. But God knows the boundaries He gives us lead to having the best rather than whatever whim our bodies tend to want.
Most of us know what walls God has given us to protect our lives. However, we’ve knocked holes in some of them and as a result our walls are crumbling. We might think, “It’s just a little hole.” However, when you allow a hole to go un-mended, it begins to threaten the entire wall. When the wall crumbles you are left unprotected.
For instance, one boundary I know God gave me years ago was to stop eating sugar and not eat so much bread. That seemed like a killjoy plan so I ignored it and as a result eventually found myself weighing 430 pounds and looking at early death by food ingestion!
Strong Walls
How do we rebuild our walls? To begin with, think about the boundaries or walls God has for your life. Where are the holes? What needs to be done to repair those and strengthen the walls?
James, the practical writer in the New Testament, tells us in simple terms how to do this. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”4 Submitting to God begins with humbling ourselves and then, accepting His boundaries for our lives. We say, “No,” to the devil who tries to pull us away from those good things God has for us.
God gave me firm boundaries regarding what I was eating, but I ignored them. As a result my destiny was put on hold. To step back into my destiny, I first had to humble myself and admit I needed God’s help. Then submit to His authority. And finally act against the devil’s temptations and my own cravings.
When I did, my walls began to be rebuilt. It happened simply by recognizing and submitting to the boundaries God designed to protect my life.
Without strong walls, your destiny is compromised. You can reclaim your destiny. God has already written your book. Will you rebuild your walls and step into all that He has for you?
Where are the breaches in your wall? Are you willing to repair them so you can soar?
1 Ephesians 2:10 TPT
2 John 10:10 NLT
3 Proverbs 25:28
4 James 4:7 NIV
Teresa Shields Parker is an author, transformation coach and speaker. Her books include Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation. Order print or kindle from Amazon by clicking on the titles. For more information on Sweet Change Weight Loss Group go HERE. For a free chapter of Sweet Change, go HERE.
Teresa Shields Parker is a Christian weight loss author, coach, podcaster, and speaker, who has lost 250 pounds and kept it off since 2013. Her books include: “Reconnecting Jayne: Her Sister’s Support,” “Rebuilding Jayne: Her Father’s Protection,” “Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favor,” “Sweet Grace Study Guide,” “Sweet Victory: Winning the Battle,” “Sweet Surrender: Breaking Strongholds,” “Sweet Journey to Transformation: Practical Steps to Lose Weight and Live Healthy”, “Sweet Freedom: Losing Weight and Keeping It Off With God’s Help,” “Sweet Freedom Study Guide,” “Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation,” “Sweet Hunger: Developing an Appetite for God,” and “Sweet Excuses: Stop Lying to Yourself & Start Losing Weight.” She also offers Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy and VIP intensive coaching. Don’t miss her weekly podcast, Sweet Grace for Your Journey, where she shares tips from her personal journey of losing weight and discovering healthy living. Contact her at [email protected].
Theresa,
You write with such conviction. Thanks for the Bible verses to go along, it’s really helpful. Blessings as you continue to help others reach their goals. Totally awesome.
Karen, when you’ve come out of the place i’ve come out of, a living hell I created for myself, there’s no other way to write!
Amen. And amen again. Life definitely can seem to attack our dreams between ‘8 and 38.’ So glad that you made it out alive and are here to share you story.
Actually between 8 abd 108!
I am found you by way of Sandi’s IC class. This gave me pause to re-think some things and encouragement to know that God has a plan and while I’m rehearsing what I know He has promised me from His word I am content. Thanks for publishing these words of inspiration as an iron sharpener.
He really does. He already wrote our book. Now it’s time for us to live out the details. Thanks for stopping by.