Your story is your mission; your experiences shape your story. Your life consists of many moments, good and sometimes challenging. This should be obvious, right? Unfortunately, it’s not. Even Job told his wife, “can we accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” [Job 2:10]. When I was a child, I used to ask God why He wasn’t fighting for me. I often wondered if something was wrong with me. Later on, specifically in 2016, I would learn that I wasn’t rejected but counted as precious and chosen.
When God delivered me, I decided to share what He taught me. I couldn’t keep it in. His word is like fire shut up in my bones, and I cannot keep it in [Jeremiah 20:9].
You will climb many mountains, dig yourself out of many holes and face many battles, but no matter what you face, a story is being carved out for you. God is a purposeful God, and He will never allow a situation to land in front of you for nothing. Before it came to you, it passed through the hands of the Father.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths. [Proverbs 5:21]
It’s not for nothing.
Your ways are before the Lord. He is not surprised at the storms that rise about you; He is not surprised at the steps you missed; He is not surprised at the people fighting against you. Every tear that fell from your eyes, He caught them.
You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? [Psalm 56:8]
So here are 4 things for you to remember about your journey. Can we dive in?
- Everything you go through is linked to who you are supposed to become
By now, you know this is our foundational statement. When you remember this, you know that valuable information is being passed on to you with each experience. Yes, every single experience is to shape you. You are being made into a blueprint. You carry mysteries in a particular area. You are supposed to teach the world something. There’s a group of people waiting just for you. Not me, not anyone else, but you. There’s somewhere in you that contains great insight. Do you know this part of you?
Let me tell you something – even if you gather all mathematics teachers, they each have a particular skill or way of teaching that is unique to them. They don’t teach alike. The subject is the same, but some teachers have been positioned to train the next generation of great leaders. It had to be them. They were sent to prepare the children of God in some special way. If someone else taught them, the meaning would not land.
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [Hebrew 2:10]
- It’s either a lesson or a promotion
Looking back at my experiences, I can see many lessons being fed to me. Even when I was betrayed by friends, God told me, “Sheilla, you can’t trust everyone. I want you to be more aware of the people around you.” The message was that I needed to stop being naive and too trusting. What messages are coming out of your experiences? Every time a lesson was delivered, I was able to move on. Why? Because when the Father speaks, He settles the matter. I was able to not take things personally.
We all have to remember that we will be tested in life, and we cannot tell God how the test should come. We should, however, be alert and ready at all times should the Lord choose to visit us.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing [James 1:3-4]
- Your words can create a bridge for you to walk through or a wall to block you
Your words are weapons – use them wisely. Use them to plant and build, to position yourself properly. Use your words to sprinkle love on your head, life, and overall journey. Don’t condemn or bully yourself. Become your biggest cheerleader. Read James 3 for more insight into the power of your tongue. If positive words create the life you want, negative words carry poison. They will destroy you and build a wall to block you. Words are construction materials. If you don’t want to fail, why confess it? If you don’t want to be rejected for a job, why confess it? Why say, “Oh! I messed up; I don’t know if they’ll give me the job.” You messed up according to who? Do you know how God will promote you? Do you know God has mercy on whomever He wants to? [Romans 9:15]. God can rewrite any story, so be careful about reckless and idle talk.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. [Philippians 4:8]
- The level of battles you face is equal to the crown placed on your head
They say heavy is the head that wears the crown; this is true. We always pray for God to use us and lift us higher. Do you know there’s a price to pay for this? You’ll have to take up your cross and carry it. You’ll have to forsake all you’ve lost because you can’t move forward by looking backward. God will restore all that you’ve lost; just wait for it.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [Matthew 16:24]
Learn to enjoy where God has placed you. He has ordered your steps. We have the tools and resources to help us move forward – yes, we all have. This is not a privilege given to just rich people. May God open your eyes to understand the great riches He has kept for you.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [Ephesians 2:4-7]
Food for thought: Look back at your experiences, what were some lessons embedded in them?
Cover picture by Aziz Acharki
