Living Life by Divine Design - God Speaks Today
“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45
She’d settled into her life and had taken consolation in the words of Paul: “Whatever state I am in…” She wrapped herself in contentment like a thick, wool comforter on a cold winter’s day, and nestled into a predictability that over the years was slowly and methodically suffocating her.
Years ago God had spoken to her concerning the call on her life, purpose, destiny. He had given her a dream so big she couldn’t even wrap her mind around it. But she believed Him, and set out in “Don Quixote-esque” fashion, ready to fulfill it all.
Then life happened. The unforeseen bullied its way into her life and took up residence. The death of a sibling! Divorce! Personal health challenges. A father’s fatal diagnosis. The needs of a child that superseded her own needs. A shattered heart. Betrayal by those she believed knew her and loved her unconditionally. And yes she’d made some bad choices and suffered the consequences. Overwhelmed, she abandoned the vision, neglected the call.
And she did what so many do. Took those dreams, that vision, those hopes and desires, sealed them in air-tight boxes, labeled “Not for This Season!” “I Was Wrong,” “Missed God” and “Not in this Lifetime” and stored them safely away. Others she’d reduced to something “manageable” and became content to use her gifts and talents when she could and hoped to have some impact.
She planned to unshelve them someday ,but then she began to live life on autoplay.
Up at dawn, shower, dress, cook breakfast, kids ready and off to school, battle through the morning rush to just make it to the job for which she was highly over-qualified, a job that had long ago ceased to challenge or draw from the reservoir of creativity within her. But dutifully she put in her eight hours and then was hurled into the madness of after-school activities – soccer practices and dance classes. Then home, dinner, homework, bedtime rituals with the kids. On a good night she’d stare blankly at the TV watching the Housewives of Somewhere and wonder how someone got away with murdering her dreams as she watch Viola Davis on TGIT. Pray, read, go to sleep, only to get up the next morning and do it all over again.
She’d dreamed — still dreamed — of more than this! Knew that God had placed deep in her all she needed to fulfill the dream He’d given her. And she’d tried numerous times with underwhelming success. Had met with failure and disappointments but was undaunted by that – well, at least initially. But one let down after another. One more blow. One more loss. She wondered when things would shift. Wondered why, despite her best efforts, her reality was so different from the vision God had shown her. She’d prayed and cried out, “What did I do wrong?” Made readjustments, moves, necessary changes, yet still the investment didn’t seem worth the return. It was such a struggle to produce so little. It was such a battle with no lasting, tangible results. Maybe the dreams needed to remain in those air-tight boxes on the shelf.
She had pushed the button, settled in and reconciled herself to “Life by Default.”
She hadn’t lost faith . . . or had she? After all, how much faith is required in the Default Zone?
But even in the settling there was this gnawing, nagging, jabbing deep within. And that still small voice ever whispering and calling her from this place of seeming barrenness:
“You know you were created for more than this. You were saved for more than this! You were gifted for more than this! You are destined — still — for greatness!”
“It’s not too late!”
“It’s not over!”
“What if you just tried one more time!”
“Step out! Grace will meet you, uphold you, carry you.”
“Trust Me!”
“Just do it and see . . .”
“Now is the time!”
God never intended us to live our lives by default!
The wooing, longing persists! That still, small voice grows louder, stronger. For God has never abandoned the call, the dream, the vision, the purpose, the destiny He’d placed in her — in all of us. He hasn’t reneged on the promise! Before time began He knew about the sickness, the death, the divorce, the betrayal, the children. He knew and He still called, still equipped, still chose each of us to impact a world for Christ. And through those seasons of barrenness and seeming unfruitfulness, He continued His deep work in us — forging His character in us, healing our wounded souls, making us whole, strengthening our hearts, increasing our faith, rooting and grounding us in His love and in His word, maturing us, transforming us. Now we are ready! Now is the time to take all the lessons learned in the Default Zone and create a new reality rooted in His faithfulness to fulfill His word!
God is breathing new life into old dreams and giving new lenses through which to view old promises, as He whispers gently to us all, “You have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this! Pick up that vision, revive that dream, revisit that business plan, that ministry! Blow the dust off that accumulated while you were living “Life by Default.” It’s time to once again live “Life by Divine Design!”
You’ll be amazed by the glorious, miraculous life of fulfillment and adventure that awaits!
