[youtube v=”3SH7IOe0V3M”]
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1
We live in a world where most people’s hearts are paralyzed by fear. Fear has been a driving force in the human condition ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden! Without a doubt there is no fear more real to the human soul than the “fear of the future!” The fact that the future can only be discerned by revelation, since it’s the most unkown entity of man’s earthly existence is perhaps the reason most humans are afraid of it. Most people wrestle with questions such as “What if I lose my job tomorrow, what am I going to do? What if I died suddenly, who will take care of my children? Am I ever going to get married or am I doomed to a life of spinsterhood?” These questions are common and universal, regardless of nationality, race or creed – all humans grapple with these questions.
However, just because a certain experience is both common and universal does not in anyway mean that it aught apply to citizens of the Kingdom of God (followers of Christ). The primary reason being that God secured our “future” from before the foundation of the world. Listen to what the write of Ephesians has to say about this, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us] Ephesians 2:10 AMP. God has already predetermined the destiny of each one of His dear children. Your life is not an experiment by any stretch of the imagination. You were created by purpose for a purpose. Purpose is the reason for the future. It is precisely because you have purpose that you have a future.
In the book of Jeremiah God goes a step further to easy our fears about the future destiny. When He boldly declares, “for I know the thoughts that I think towards you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).” This is another way of saying, stop fretting about your future, I got it covered. I remember a time in the 90’s when I thought my ministry was over. I was so discouraged and completely despondent about my future prospects in ministry. Like Peter I started moving towards my fishing boat (my previous career) because in my fragile mind, I had made too many mistakes as novice in ministry to ever have a future in ministry. Boy, was I wrong! Since then I have written several best selling books that have garnered worldwide attention. I have to more nations on ministry trips than most of my peers that I grew up admiring. Why? Because God had my future already secured regardless of the mistakes I thought were fatal. How do you feel about your future? Do you feel all is lost and what’s the purpose of even living? If you do, I shared my story to give you some perspective as well as to encourage you not give up on your God given destiny future. Please share this post with anyone in your network who is grappling with the subject matter of this article. You never know, one SHARE might actually save somebody’s life! The people around us who commit suicide don’t do it because they are stupid. They do it because they have lost hope of any meaningful future! Share the gift of “hope” today!
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me so much that you secured my future destiny long before I was even born. Your plan for my life is loaded with a life of victory and meaning. I am more valuable than the birds of the air, so you have made supernatural provision for my life and destiny here on earth. Lord your Word says “thou shall keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you!” I choose to focus my mind on your and loving kindness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
