This Made My Week…

This morning, I had a meeting that had a profound impact on my week… maybe even on my life!

I met a man who told me of a painful life. He told me of things that happened in his childhood. He told me how his father passed away when he was 12 years old and the dramatic impact that had on his life.

He told me of things that happened to him as an adult which had made him want to take his own life.

He shared with me that he had grown up in a very traditional, non-charismatic, denominational church , but that God had begun several years ago to lead him on a journey that would take him into the deeper things of The Spirit. He said that he had become frustrated and disheartened because he felt that, for some reason or another, he was not worthy or that he did not deserve what God was offering him.

His next statement to me was the one that caused my eyes to well with tears of amazement at where he is in his life and almost shame at where I find myself most days. This is what he said:                                                                                               

“I’m afraid of missing the purpose and destiny God has for me.”

Wait! I forgot to tell you… This man is sixty four years old! Yes! You read it correctly! 64! I was completely amazed and humbled in the same moment. Here sat a man who, because of the events of his personal journey in life, no one would argue with or blame for saying “I just want to live out the rest of my life with my family and enjoy myself” but, with tears in his eyes, he was sitting in front of me crying out to God to not let his life be wasted.

I thought to myself as he was sharing, “This man came here for help today, but I’m the one getting the help.”

I wonder how many of us look at our lives and think “I can’t wait until the time when I can retire and do what I want to do.” I know that, at times, I have had those thoughts.

God’s destiny and purpose for our lives do not come with a “best if used by” date. They are for a lifetime.

Maybe you’ve thought, at some time, “I’m too old for that to happen for me” or “I guess my time has passed” or maybe you’ve given up on that dream that God placed in your heart many years ago. Perhaps the fear of failure or the pain of disappointment has caused you to stop short of fulfilling the purpose for which God created you.

Can I encourage you today?

God has not been surprised by anything that has happened in your life. If He knows the end from the beginning, then His plan cannot be so fragile that it could be made null by some event that comes along to distract us.

No mater what age you find yourself at, God has a plan for your life and your best days are still ahead!

So…. Let’s get busy!!!