by Judy Brisky

There’s a funny children’s movie that came out about a year ago with a great character named Rhino—an energetic hamster with tremendous self-esteem. Although he lives in a plastic ball for protection from other animals, he totally believes in himself. In one scene Rhino says, “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Destiny! I’ve been expecting your call!” From this point on, he begins to live out his destiny.

Have you been expecting your call? Are you wondering if God even has your number? Or perhaps you’ve gotten the call but have hesitated moving forward?

In the first chapter of Jeremiah, the Lord tells him, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Like Jeremiah, God knows you. He has deliberately set you apart and appointed you for a specific calling. And just like He did for Jeremiah, God really does have a plan for you. Isn’t that incredible?!

But even after hearing God tell him all that, Jeremiah isn’t convinced. He replies, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” Like many of us, Jeremiah was scared to walk in the calling God had for him. He felt ill-equipped and inexperienced. But the Lord responded to Jeremiah: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.” Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched Jeremiah’s mouth and said to him, ‘Now, I have put My words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over the nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Not only did the Lord have a plan for Jeremiah, but He also gave him everything he needed to fulfill the plan. What’s more, God will do the same for you! You don’t need to fear what God calls you to do … you are the best person for the job. Why? Because He has called you to do it! And just like God put the right words in the mouth of Jeremiah, He’ll equip you and give you what you need to accomplish His plan for your life.

But maybe you’re wondering, “What do I need to do to fulfill the call? How can I best prepare for what God has for my life?” Matthew 6:33 tells us to, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” So here are three ways for you to get ready for your destiny.

1.) Get a Vision for Your Life

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Psalm 37:7

My husband was a professional golfer for quite a few years, and his coach once told him, “If you don’t have a target, you’ll never hit it.” Walking blindly only leads you into walls and other obstacles. You are most vulnerable to deception from the Enemy when you haven’t sought the Lord for direction. The best way to get God’s vision for your life is to pray … and then pray some more. Ask the Lord for His wisdom and seek to spend uninterrupted time with Him in order to hear His voice. 

2.) Develop Godly Disciplines in Your Life

Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.
James 1:22

It’s vital to read God’s Word on a daily basis in order to know Him better and be strengthened in Him. The more you know His Word, the more you’ll desire to obey and walk in His teachings. It is also beneficial to nurture a strong prayer life that connects your heart to His. Decisions become easier to make when you know God’s heart for you.

Another discipline you need to consistently cultivate is your character. Pastor Robert Morris says, “The deeper you go into the destiny God has planned for you, the deeper the character that will be required.” If your character is to be Christlike, you must be doers of the Word. And the more Christlike you become, the better able you are to reach your destiny.

Your destiny is all about God, His kingdom and what He can do through you, not what you can do in your own strength.

3.) Develop a Godly Perspective

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:7, 11

It’s so important for us to see things the way God sees them. What you see as a setback may actually be God’s way of preparing you for your future. Pastor Marcus Brecheen puts it this way, “God often leads us into trouble when He’s preparing us for greatness. The center of God’s will is where we want to be, but it isn’t always trouble-free. Because He loves us, God doesn’t always bail us out of troublesome situations. Sometimes we must go through challenging times, but He will always do what’s best for us.

Some time ago, our family lost several family members in the span of one year, including our baby daughter. During this painful season, we chose to focus on our faithful God who we knew would get us through. We are now able to look back and see how His loving hands held us and not only got us through but also strengthened us in the process.

A godly perspective is about looking beyond the here and now and choosing to focus on God, not on circumstances, all the time trusting that He has a plan.

You may be at the beginning of your destiny, still prayerfully listening to the heart of God, being led by the Holy Spirit and determining the Lord’s calling on your life. Or, you may be right in the thick of things, obediently following the Lord’s promptings and finding the joy and fulfillment that comes from obeying Him. But then there are those of you who feel like you’re at the end of your calling. You’ve accomplished what you set out to do, and now you’re wondering, “Where do I go from here?” If this is where you are at, let me tell you, it’s time for your encore! You see, it’s never over for those who follow the Lord and desire to serve Him. You may think you’ve done all there is to do, but I assure you, God has more for you. You may think you’re too old and too tired or that your time has come and gone, but God has more for you. He always has more for you. There are things that only you can do for the kingdom of God.

Ultimately, your destiny isn’t about how popular you are, how big your ministry is, how many Christian books or songs you’ve written or how many conferences you’ve spoken at. It’s about how well you’ve known Jesus and shared His truth with others. It’s about how much your character has been transformed into the image of Christ, and it’s about how bright the light of Jesus has shone through your life by knowing Him and being obedient to His Word.

The determining questions you must consistently ask yourself are, “Am I becoming more and more like Jesus? Have I decreased so that He may increase?”

Jeremiah 29:11–13 says,“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’” We all have a calling. We all have a God-ordained plan. We all have a hope and a future. Destiny is calling … answer the call!