This is too hard. I’m not qualified. I’ve made too many mistakes. I’m afraid I’ll fail. Someone else can do it better.
Sound familiar? These are some of the doubts and fears that discourage us from pursuing what God called us to. But guess what? Doubt doesn’t have to destroy your destiny.
COMMON SENSE TRIES TO TALK US OUT OF OUR DREAMS
Remember how Moses argued with God? Here’s my paraphrase of Exodus, chapters three and four.
Maybe it sounded something like this:
“Moses, I’m sending you back to Egypt to free my people from slavery.”
“Say what, God? With all due respect, I’m a nobody. I had to escape from there because I murdered an Egyptian. Remember? You should choose somebody else.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll equip you with signs and wonders and tell you what to say.”
“But I’m not a good speaker. I’ll trip over my words. Please send someone else.”
“I know you can’t do it, but I can.”
God gave Moses the help he needed (his brother Aaron), but the Lord didn’t release Moses from his call. He finally quit arguing with God and rose above his doubts and fears. We can too.
After all, God called us to do something beyond our capabilities and out of our comfort zone. It might even be something no one has ever attempted. But isn’t that just like our Father to nudge us out of the nest and teach us how to fly?
TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH
Learning to soar requires a leap of faith into the unknown.
It’s easier to take that step if we know who we are.
But now, this is what the Lord, your Creator says, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you [from captivity]; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” Isaiah 43:1 AMP
In the above Bible story, when Pharaoh was killing all the Hebrew babies, Moses’ mama Jochebed floated him down river in a basket where Pharaoh’s daughter could find him. When she drew him out of the water and adopted him, she named him Moses, which means drawn out or rescued. Little did she know his name would one day be a catchword for deliverance.
GOD CALLS US BY NAME
God plants seeds of possibility in our hearts too. He calls us by name. Pharaoh’s daughter didn’t know that God had hidden the spiritual DNA of a deliverer in her son’s name.
By the way, I never liked my name. However, God taught me what was hidden within it. My given name is Cynthia, which I thought sounded stuffy, prudish, and arrogant. To make matters worse, Cynthia means moon goddess and symbolizes the goddess, Diana. Being a Christian, I felt this name didn’t represent who I really was. One day I decided to google it. To my surprise, I found my name hidden in the animal kingdom—the Samia Cynthia moth. This moth produces silk and feeds from the Ainthus tree, which is sometimes called the tree of heaven.
I could have dismissed this information, but I knew God was speaking to my heart. I may look ordinary on the outside, but God makes me capable of producing something for his glory when I feed from the tree of heaven, God and his Word.
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.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
DON’T LET DOUBT DESTROY YOUR DESTINY
God created a specific destiny for you, and it’s good. Let Him tell you about it. Here are some pointers:
- Find a spiritual mama, papa, pastor, or teacher to help you discover what it is.
- Encourage yourself with hope-filled scriptures.
- Watch videos and read blogs and books that point to a destiny filled with possibilities.
God has named us. We are slaves no more. We are destined to be free.
Let’s ignore the voices that tell us we can’t and listen to the voices that tell us we can.
We don’t have to let doubt destroy our destiny.