How do you find your destiny?

[BaggaDonuts]

I've been troubled with an issue for quite some time.  How do you find your destiny -- what God intends for you in life?  It's similar to the age old question... Why are we here?  But by being a very spiritual Christian, I have answered that question long ago.  But what I want to know is: what is MY purpose? 

I'm currently at a crossroads in life.  I've just graduated from college, and I'm now looking for work.  I can't tell you how many sermons I've heard on God's destiny for me,  and maybe I haven't been ready to hear it yet.  I have had many inspirations on the subject -- namely from movies.  I watched Forrest Gump recently, and the general theme of the movie suggests that we have a destiny and we are also "floating around accidental-like on a breeze." we make our own destiny with what God gave us, though it often isn't clear the exact path we should take.  Another movie quote I like is from Braveheart when Wallace's father says to him in a dream, "Your heart is free.  Have the courage to follow it!"

What can I do to get more in touch with my true heart?  How do I know what it is I'm most passionate about?  It often feels that there is nothing that sticks out.  I'm not asking about my faith or how I can feel God in my heart.  I am aware of many things.  I have the courage to follow my heart, but how can I have/find the direction of my heart?

 

[luigi028]

Hi baggadonuts,

The first thing I could say is this:
(Jeremiah 17:9)
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Sometimes we have mixed fellings because that's the heart of men. So IMHO I would try to listen to God rather than listening to your heart. For me for instance was quite easy to know what I had to do. When I got out of college I had my convictions regarding serving my church because I knew that I knew that I had to serve in that community. I already played the drums in the worship ministry but I felt God's call was into preaching. How did I noticed it? Because it was an urge I had and ever since the first time I preached I knew I had a gift from God. Well, it also helped many confirmation from God, like when I was 21, we were at this convention and Niki Cruz called about 600 young guys to the front and out of all people he saw me (I know guided by the spirit of God) and I was the only person that he directed words personally to and he said "God's hand is over you".

Now I didn't instantly quit everything I was doing and started the work, many years have passed and I am still not full time in the ministry but neither anyone in my church for God has his time, although I certainly know that one day we will serve God without having to worry about secular jobs.

Another testimony is that I am an immigrant, and I asked God if I had to stay here (because is not the easiest thing to deal with immigration). And at one point in time my faith was on the ground and I said "Jesus, speak to me, tell me if I have to live in this country" and I grabbed my bible and opened it and my eyes laid on (psalm 37:9) "For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land." You see I had to have faith, hope in the Lord, man and from that point I've seen so many MANY miracles that it would take me an hour to just list them all. And I am here in the land!

Bottomline is ask God, and be sensitive. Be truthful, like if you want to land a good job ask for that. Or if you want to work in a ministry ask for that. Or if you want both ask for that.

(James 4:2-3) "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. "

So ask, and Jesus your father that knows exactly what you need will let you know one way or another. Just deposit your faith in him. I'll be praying for you to have clarity when He speaks to you.

028

 

[BaggaDonuts]

luigi,

thanks very much. i got a lot out of what you had to say there. your words will factor in my progress. only one comment i have about your quote of jeremiah 17:9 -- "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Reading before that... in verse 5 it says "Thus says the lord -- Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord." he is referring to the unsaved.

Good point about the prayer though.. I will open my mind and discard all premonitions and standards i've previously set. I find that when I pray from my wit's end -- usually when my passion shines the most, I receive answers. thanks.

 

[seebs]

I don't know that you necessarily *have* a destiny, in the sense of some specific activity you're supposed to do, and if you don't, everything goes wrong.

Try finding out what you're good at, and enjoy, that helps others.

 

[Warrior FC]

Remember, God never shows anyone the whole picture in life!

He takes you through life one step at a time!

So just take the next step and you are on you way to your destiny!

Continue to plan ahead and have dreams for your future but God will ultimately direct your path through-out life!

 

[panterapat]

Baggadonuts.

Let go and let God!

 

[Gerry]

I will not add empty, trivail and meaningless words of advice to such a serious and profound question. But I will give you a couple of answers from God's Word that I hear asked over and over and no one seems to seee the answer in God's Word!

First, "Why was I born?' Why did God create man in the first place, what is his purpose, etc. etc.! You get the picture.

The answer is found in Revelation 4:11: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." So we were created for His pleasure: Not because He was lonely, because He always had His Son Whom He loved and fellowshiped with before eternity. Also He did not create us to battle satan for Him, as He is well able to defeat him with no help from us. To be a soldier for Christ is both a privilege and a blessing, but not a necessity for God.

Thus when we Honor and Glorify and Love Him, we bring Him pleasure and fulfill the purpose for which we were created. So the question then becomes, HOW do we love, Honor and Glorify God? The love part is evident, it is a matter of choice, and it is easy to love Him, because He first loved us. The COMMANDMENT to love Him is found in both the Old and New Testaments. And we both Honor and Glorify Him by being obedient and keeping His commandments. Jesus also said: If you love me, keep my commandments.

Why did Jesus save us? The Bible is filled with this answer from front to back, but I find it so clearly expressed by Jesus Himself throughout the Book of John. I especially like the way He put it in John 15:16. He chose us and set us aside to reproduce ourselves spiritually.

So no matter where God leads you and what He leads you to do, if you keep these two Truths in your heart and apply them to wherever you find yourself, you will indeed fulfill your purpose as a born again Christian.

May God grant you Grace, Wisdom, and strength as you seek His direction for your life.

 

[panterapat]

Each moment of your life has a "responsibility of the present moment". Living up to that responsibility is doing God's Will.   According to the Catholic Church:

 

"God created me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this world; and to be eternally happy with Him in the next world.

In Christ, Patrick

 

[repentandbelieve]

Hello Bagga Donuts, 

Realize that God created you for a purpose.


Understand that we do not get to choose this purpose because God has already chosen it for us.


Discover Gods purpose for creating you.


Devote yourself to living it out.

 

[BaggaDonuts]

you know.. jesus spoke in parables, and i find myself learning alot from stories and movies. i sorted things out i believe. recently, i've become more aware of fears in my life. and then i realized that it is my mission to grow by leaps and bounds spiritually. case in point: casting down fear.

william wallace said in braveheart in that awesome speech "and then one day many years from now, you'll be at home dying in your beds. would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that to come back here and tell them that they may take our lives but never take our fredom!"

My freedom has been oppressed by my fears. and i am now fully aware of the spiritual battle that takes place in the reflection of the world. therein lies purpose.

many of you will not understand that; many of you will.

 

[BaggaDonuts]

that was the answer i needed

 

[Blessed-one]

wow... thanks for putting up this thread, BaggaDonuts. It has definitely helped me too, i guess i'm sort of in the same boat with you... or will be in a year's time.

My freedom has been oppressed by my fears. and i am now fully aware of the spiritual battle that takes place in the reflection of the world. therein lies purpose.

.... i can relate to that...

 

[speechless]

I think to find "destiny".. God's will, his plan for your life, you must seek Him. By reading His Word and praying to Him, and he will reveal all to you.