Fulfilling Your Destiny

Do you wonder if you’ve had an impact on this world? Do you think your life has been a waste? Do you wish you could do something that really affected the world in a positive way? Do you want to leave your mark?

Well you’re not alone. Most people have this desire. Almost everyone has the desire to leave their mark on this Earth before they die. As we get older, we begin to think that we might never do it. When we’re younger, we think that we have plenty of time. But too often, when asked, most people are still waiting to leave their mark in this life.

The question of the day is: What are you waiting for?! Did you think you were going to make your mark by just existing day to day, making ends meet and going to work? Did you think that if you waited long enough that God would just all of a sudden drop the perfect opportunity on your lap and without having to lift a finger, you suddenly had made your mark?

Waiting for your mark to be left will only result in your continued waiting. The only thing that is going to make your mark is you! YOU need to choose to make a difference today!

There are many opportunities for us to make this choice. Every time something happens around us, we choose whether we will continue on our way or do something differently. We can choose to change a life. We can choose to feed someone. We can choose to save people. These are choices we make. But we need to determine that we want to make this choice. We need to choose to make a difference. When you come up to a situation that begs the question, “Have you decided?” You need to say, “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.”

All the famous people of history had to say those words. All the people who have made a difference in the world, who have left their marks, at one time had to say, “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.”

Abe Lincoln, from the time he was young, yearned to make a difference. He came from a farming family. His father was a farmer and Abe worked by his side growing up. But the entire time he worked, he pledged that one day, he was going to make a difference. As he grew, it was time for him to leave home and though most people would have gone into business doing the thing that they knew best, the thing that they grew up with, Lincoln headed for the cities and learned law and became a lawyer. Even there, he could have thought that he had made it, that he was successful with his choice, but he kept thinking, “This is just the start. I’m going to make a difference.” And he continued to think that way even as he became a congressman, even when he lost his election, even as he became president. He always remembered that he chose to make a difference.

Mother Teresa also had a choice. She had become a nun and found herself teaching geography in India. But at the age of 12, she had made a choice to help needy people who needed spiritual guidance and hope. As she taught geography, she had a choice: Would she continue to teach these young girls or would she choose to make a difference? One day as she was in prayer, she heard the question – “Have you decided?” and Teresa said, “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.” She left her teaching position and went to Calcutta, where she cared for the dying, the poor, the sick and then created the order of Missionaries of Charity.

Today, you might be asked this question, “Have you decided?” Are you ready to respond? Then say “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.” Sometimes, this doesn’t mean that you yourself will make that difference, but sometimes it means that a decision you make to make a difference results in someone else being able to also make a difference.

Norman Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for creating strains of wheat, corn and rice that could grow heartier and faster in lands such as Mexico, India and Pakistan. It is said that he single handedly saved billions of people. Norman grew up in Iowa but his parents had come over to America from Norway. At some point, Norman’s parents were asked the question, “Have you decided?” and their response was, “Yes, we are going to make a difference today,” and they left their home for a new beginning in a strange country. At some point, Norman was asked the question, “Have you decided?” and his response was “I’m going to make a difference today.” He left home to work in an agricultural center in Mexico. It was there that he made his discoveries that would impact the world and save so many lives.

The agricultural center existed because a man by the name of Henry Wallace created it. Henry Wallace was the Vice President of the U.S. under Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 and in 1933, he was Secretary of Agriculture. He knew that corn was important to the Mexicans but realized that they weren’t producing it like they did in his home of Iowa. So when he heard the question, “Have you decided?” his response was, “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.”

Now, though most people today do not know who Norman Borlaug is or who Henry Wallace was, the person who gave Wallace his appreciation for plants is a more famous person, George Washington Carver. Carver, as many of you should remember from elementary school, was most famous for his work with the peanut. But he was an extremely bright person who had a love for God and a love for the earth. He used to take Wallace, who was the son of one of his professors, on walks when he was a six year old boy and show him the work of God’s hands in nature. Carver had a very hard youth, being born into slavery, being kidnapped, losing his mother as an infant, developing respiratory diseases. When he once entered the kitchen of a neighbor, he saw the beautiful paintings of flowers and he knew he was going to be an artist. He left home to go to a school for black boys and after that tried to get into some colleges. The only one that would accept him was a small college called Simpson. His art professor was named Etta Budd and seeing what George was capable of, she convinced him that instead of painting flowers, he should be growing them. George heard the words, “Have you decided?” and he responded with “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.” Budd’s father happened to be the head of the department of horticulture at Iowa State University. They were able to get him into the college and from there, the rest is history.

The admission board at Simpson College chose to make a difference by admitting their first (or some sources say second) black student. Etta Budd chose to make a difference by getting her father to accept Carver into the much larger and well known university. Carver made a choice to make a difference in the life of a young Henry Wallace. Wallace chose to make a difference by creating an agricultural center in Mexico. Borlaug chose to make a difference by leaving home and working at that center. Billions of people were saved from starvation because seventy-years earlier an art professor made a choice.

Have you decided? Making the right choice isn’t always easy. Paul heard the question, “Have you decided?” and he responded, “Yes, I’m going to make a difference today.” We read about what he had to go through after he made that choice.

2 Corinthians 11:23b-27

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Are you ready to go through all this? Are you ready for the consequences of your decision? Well, lest you think that choosing to make a difference results only in pain and suffering, let’s see how Paul sees himself.

Philippians 4:11-13

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Through his epistles, Paul sees himself as blessed. Blessed to be able to do the work that God had for him. Blessed to have seen the risen Christ. Blessed to have been given visions and revelations of mysteries. Blessed to have been renewed and recreated. And he attributes these blessings to God.

We all have things to do that God has planned for us – from the beginning of time. We need to choose to fulfill our destiny. We are all hearing the question, “Have you decided?” We need to answer, “Yes, we’re going to make a difference today.” God has a plan for you.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You were created to do good works. Are you going to choose to do what God has planned for you from the beginning of time?

Some excuses...
But I’m too young!
1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

I’m too old!
Genesis 5:32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

I’m alone!
1 Kings 19:10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

I’m not capable! – see Gideon
I have limitations! – see Deborah, Moses, Paul,

So what’s holding you back?
Sometimes, we don’t fulfill our destiny because we hold ourselves back.

Are you feeling guilty about something – some sin, somewhere down the line? Jesus has paid for those sins. When he died on the cross, he was the perfect sacrifice. Where we were unable to pay the penalty for our sin, he was and he did. We don’t need to dwell on our sin or feel guilty about it anymore because with his death, he wiped our slate clean. You simply need to recognize who he is and what he has done for you and accept him as your Savior. When we do, our guilt is washed away! Don’t allow your guilt to keep you from your destiny!

Are you afraid or worried about what is in store, what the future holds? Are you fearful of what people might think or say or how they might treat you? Are you afraid that you won’t be good enough, capable enough, smart enough? God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Are you stressed? Do you have too much pressure on you to make this happen? Are you being forced to do something you don’t want to do? Are you anxious that you aren’t hearing from God or doing the right thing or that you aren’t going to be able to complete it? God tells us not to be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to present our requests to Him and His peace that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7)

Finally, Satan works to deprive us of what God wants for us, so he tries to convince us that we are not good enough, skilled enough, smart enough. He causes us to feel lonely, depressed, guilty, fearful and stressed. You must not let Satan take away what God wants to give you! Call him on it and come back to Jesus. Are you ready to make a decision?

Our choices make a difference –
You have a choice today – are you going to choose to continue your life as it is? Continue to wait for your destiny to be fulfilled by accident? Are you going to let your fear, your stress or your guilt keep you from doing that which God has set aside for you since the beginning of time? Are you going to let Satan take away your destiny?

Or are you going to choose to make that difference? Choose to be great? Choose to make the hard choice and not the easy one? Choose to get up, wipe your own slate clean, begin afresh and fulfill your destiny?

You have a choice.

Have you decided?

I pray your response is: Yes – I’m going to make a difference today.

1 Peter 4:10 God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you.

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Last modified: February 19, 2006