Destiny

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”

William Jennings Bryan

“I told you. You don't love someone because of their looks or their clothes or their car. You love them because they sing a song only your heart can understand.”

L.J. Smith

“I aint choose to rhyme; rhymin’ chose me.  So I hit the track running, like a nosebleed.”

Bubba Sparks – Ugly

My most recent blog was about needs and wants.  The premise is that we can choose much of what happens to us in life by taking action towards our goals.  I think this belief is important; otherwise, many people feel like helpless victims of life’s circumstances.  We can decide what we want and then work to obtain it.  This isn’t easy, but it’s also not complicated.  But why is that we want what we want?  Why do we like certain kinds of people, music, writing, or art?  Why do we love certain people and not love others who are equally worthy?  (I’m speaking of romantic love here.)  Why do some career choices excite us while there are others we literally wouldn’t do for a million dollars?

Do we, each of us, have a destiny?

We do.  A major theme running through my blogs is Purpose.  None of us is here by accident.  The opposite of accident is Purpose.  We are all here for a Purpose.  Here’s another way to put it:

Each of us has a destiny.

Where does this destiny originate?  I believe it comes from God.  I believe He has a plan for each of us.  But here’s the tricky part:  It is up to each of us to live out our destiny.  God cannot make me do it.  I can refuse.  I can refuse my destiny by quitting, by ignoring it, by giving into fear, or by giving into laziness.  I can circumvent this destiny by intentionally doing something else.  I don’t have to live out my destiny. 

By destiny, I don’t mean preordained.  I mean predetermined.   It might look like this: 

God is in the planning room telling His angels about me.  He says, “Guys, my plan for Robert is that he becomes a writer.  I want him to live in a house near the beach and spend his life with his Muse.”

An angel might reply, “But, Sir, you know he struggles with fear, laziness, distractions, and procrastination.  He has a hard time staying focused.  He might not be able to do this.”

“Nonsense!” says God.  “Of course he can do it.  I will give him the ability to overcome or at least work with his weaknesses.”

“Sir, wouldn’t it be easier for him, if you just completely removed his weaknesses instead?” asks then angel.

“Perhaps,” says God, “but then he wouldn’t learn courage, perseverance or determination.  His battle is also part of his destiny.  That will make his victory far more meaningful.”

“But he might fail,” says the angel.

“He might.  It will be up to him.  But this is the destiny I have chosen for him.  I won’t give it to him and I won’t make it easy for him.  But if he works towards it, when he looks back, it won’t have felt difficult.  He will understand why it all happened the way it did.”

That’s how it goes.  Destiny is given to us, but it’s not handed to us.  It’s up to us to fulfill it.  It’s up to each of us to get Started and to Keep Going, because that too is part of our destiny.