Charles F. Stanley - Discover Your Destiny: God Has More Than You Can Ask or Imagine

I n the vast majority of cases, the most devastating aspect of any extremely negative, personal circumstance is this: a loss of hope and vision regarding the destiny God has authorized for your life.

When a person is confronted with the reality of a dread disease... a natural catastrophe... the loss of a job or a severe decline in career... the loss of a loved one to death or divorce... or an act of terror or war, its all too easy to become dejected, depressed, and eventually to lose sight of these very important facts:

God is in control... always.

God is always the same in His love toward us and in His offer of mercy, forgiveness, and intimate fellowship. He is always our Savior, Deliverer, Healer, Restorer, and Ever-Living Lord.

God alone is always worthy of our obedience and trust. The title of the old Gospel song, Trust and Obey, sums up what is always Gods will for our lives.

Our confidence must always be in Him. He is the One who loves us beyond measure and calls us His beloved children and the heirs of His abundant promises.

God has a master plan for your life, and that master plan does not change either. It is a plan designed specifically for you. It is a plan that God intends for you to live out fully, beginning at the moment of your birth and never ending until the moment of your death. Gods plan for you has a purpose, a sovereign plan, a blueprint for your particular life, a character-development plan, a communication plan, a call to service, a guidance plan, and a blessing plan. All of these aspects of Gods master plan for you is what I mean by destiny. Your destiny is to be the person God has created you to be.

No matter the circumstances or situations you face, you can retain your faith, hope, and joy if you will focus on discovering all that God has authorized for you as your destiny.

Gods Purpose. Gods purpose is that you receive His love, and then express His love to others. God desires to be in personal relationship with you so you might experience His love on a daily basis.

Gods Sovereign Plan. Gods master plan for you is the acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Savior so you might receive His ongoing grace in this life and His gift of eternal life in heaven. God desires to live with you forever. Heaven is your destinyyes, its your ultimate destination. His plan is always one that brings you to wholeness and the receiving of all things designed for your eternal good. What a wonderful destiny that is!

Gods Blueprint for Your Life. Gods blueprint for you is that you do good works. Good works dont result in salvationrather, your salvation results in your ability to do works that are truly good. A vital part of your destiny is that you know Gods Word, keep Gods commandments, and be a joyful witness for Jesus Christ.

Gods Character-Development Plan. God desires to conform you into the character likeness of Christ Jesus. Your destiny is to be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Your life is to bear the fruit of a godly nature.

Gods Communication Plan. Your destiny is to have ongoing, love-filled communication with God. He desires to speak to you, and to hear from you, and to give you daily direction and wisdom.

Gods Call to Service. Your destiny includes a call to serve God by caring for others in ways that are encouraging, timely, and practical. God gives you spiritual gifts so you might fulfill His call to you. He gives you His Holy Spirit to guide you into the relationships and circumstances in which you might serve Him most effectively.

Gods Guidance Plan. God desires to heal every broken aspect of your life. He desires to guide you away from error and into wisdom. Your destiny is to be a person who is always pursuing the potential that God has placed in you until you come to a wholeness of body, mind, and spirit. Your destiny is to make a total commitment to doing all that God desires for you to do, saying all He desires for you to say, and giving all He desires for you to give.

Gods Blessing Plan. God desires for you to live a life marked by blessing, acceptance of His plan, availability to His call, and an abundance of provision to accomplish the work He authorizes you to do. Your destiny as designed by God is a destiny of abiding in Christ Jesus.

Are you willing to seek and discover Gods destiny for your life? I guarantee you thisit will be the most fulfilling, rewarding, satisfying, joyful, purposeful, and meaningful challenge youll ever pursue. To discover all that God has designed for you is to discover the secret of life!