Guest column: Destiny

DESTINY! I love that term. Some people use that word when asking the question, “Where do you think you will go after death?”

Well, I prefer to ponder that word when considering the question: “What is my unique mission I am to accomplish here on earth? What is my destiny?”

A few years ago I coined my own description of the path we travel to reach our own unique destiny. I define that path to destiny as

A series of propelling events which are statistically impossible to have all happened to the same person.

You see, I don’t believe we can make our ultimate impact on this earth unless we travel this seemingly coincidental path. If we are in complete charge of our own lives, then the outcome will be our own accomplishment. But if we are cooperating with God’s unseen grace then our ultimate impact just might be accomplished.

Years ago, there was a woman who was created for a very unique mission, a once-ever situation that she could not manufacture on her own. The odds were impossible. While still a young woman, events began to transpire in her life that were exciting, humbling, as well as extremely risky. Nonetheless, reaching within herself and pulling out her greatest courage she accepted each event as it came, trusting that God’s unseen grace was at work behind the scenes on her behalf.

As this young woman allowed each event to unravel, she watched as people, places, and circumstances in her life shifted and changed for several years. During those years, there were unusual things that happened—strangers told her about a great destiny for her child; her husband had dreams about someone wanting to kill that child; and important people brought them outlandishly expensive gifts that provided the means for them to escape the threat of harm. Eventually, they returned home, had more children, and life seemed to become somewhat ordinary again.

It wasn’t until years later that this woman began to see the destiny of that child blossom. This woman had taken the chance to believe in destiny, not only for herself but also for her oldest child. She had stayed the course through those many statistically impossible events. The reward was a destiny mission accomplished!

As we think about the holidays, whether of the Hanukkah miracle of lights, or of the Christmas miracle of destiny for a lowly baby, let’s keep in mind that there is a special and unique destiny mission for every single one of us. Let’s appreciate that each of those missions is different by design. YOU were born with a special set of strengths, ambitions, talents, and purpose all woven together to create a once-ever person for this point in history. YOU were born to impact the world around you with goodness and righteousness.

Set your mind today to courageously believe God for your destiny mission. Enjoy the ride on those “statistically impossible” events all happening to the same person—YOU!