“Growing the Seeds of Your Destiny”
Hello, writer! I hope you continued to pursue a deeper understanding of your “why” this week! But if your “why” is still feeling small or vague…don’t worry. This week, we’re going to explore how to refine your “why.” Because here’s the thing. All “why’s” begin as seeds and then grow and gain definition, shape, and scope over time. Here’s an example of what I mean.
Growing “Why” in History
From a young age, Amy Carmichael knew she wanted to share the Gospel of Jesus with the poor, and she began pursuing that “why” as a child by serving the impoverished girls in her town and teaching them the Bible. When Amy met Hudson Taylor, a famous missionary to China, her “why” shifted and grew into a desire specifically to evangelize the poor in foreign lands that had never heard of Jesus. Chasing that “why” led her to India. But the day Amy met Preena, a runaway child prostitute from a nearby Hindu temple, her why shifted again, and her evangelistic work went underground as she began to rescue young girls from the Hindu temples. Her new “why” led her to a kind of “secret” evangelism that left an indelible mark on the country of India.
Growing “Why” in the Bible
A beautiful Biblical example of refining your “why” is King David. When he received his call to be King, he knew his job would be to unite and establish the people of Israel and to drive out their enemies. Years later, when this “why” was well underway, he was gripped with a desire—a new “why”—to build God’s temple. Really, this was not a new “why” but a new expression of his old “why,” which was to see God glorified by His nation, Israel.
When God redirected that desire to build the temple itself, David found his ultimate “why”: to prepare for that temple by laying up silver and gold to build and by establishing the ongoing day and night temple worship that would make the temple worthwhile. Here’s the interesting thing. You can see the seeds of this “why” way back in the shepherd’s field was David worshiped God after successfully rescuing his flock from the lion and the bear.
Growing “Why” in Life
In my own life, my “why” began with a burning desire to share the truth with people who might never enter a church would and to share that truth in a way that they would receive it. This was teh “why” that sparked my writing journey. But as I wrote, God paused me and took me through a period of work and ministry that refined my vague, small “why” into a desire to reach a generation that has been isolated and cut off from relationships with the truth and beauty of true love and friendship. That changed the nature of my writing entirely, and sparked my desire to help others communicate His stories as well as He grew my “why” further. This led to starting a writers conference…and then to hosting another…and then to engaging a growing network of writers…and my “why” is still growing in these visions today!
Your Growing “Why”
Now, here’s the interesting thing. If we follow our God-given “why” long enough and allow Him to guide us, it will take us to places we never imagined. To do things we never dreamed of. Just like it says in 1 Corinthian 2:9, “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” That said, when we look back, we can see the seeds of these amazing things were always in us. Because here’s another interesting thing. All of God’s Words and works come in seed form. In fact, this is how His entire Kingdom works. Let me show you (I encourage you to read the full parables!)…
The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” – Mark 4:14-20
14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five [a]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his [b]master’s money. “Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your [c]master.’ – Matthew 25:14-21
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[b] of flour until it worked all through the dough.” – Matthew 13:31-33
Where to Start with Growing Your “Why”
A seed can never give you a full picture of what it will become. You can only plant it and let it grow. How? A seed grows by being surrounded by dirt, by being watered, and by receiving sunlight.
In the same way, when we let our lives be grown and watered by His Word and His Spirit through life’s circumstances, He will lead us into greater definition and expression of His God-given “why” for us. It only takes one thing—a willingness to seek and obey the Lord as you passionately pursue the work He’s given you…
You will notice, both Amy and King David jumped in and began to pursue their great “why” before they had all the specifics clear about place and timing and people… David began to defend Israel immediately when he saw Goliath. Amy began serving and evangelizing poor girls in her own city. I began writing my story about “truth” before I knew the details of who it would reach and how. And here is the beautiful thing. The same thing can happen for you as you begin to take steps toward your “why.”
Here are a few ideas to get you started in growing your “why.”
- Look at your current life and how you got there, and ask yourself “What has God been speaking to me?” What He’s said lately. Often that’s a key to your next step toward your “why.”
- Search the scriptures for verses and promises and principles that relate to your “why”—as you know it today. Begin to pray those scriptures over your life and calling.
- Pray regularly for His “why” to be fulfilled in your life and dream about what that looks like.
- Keep taking small, intentional steps toward your God-given “why” whether by taking (or making) opportunities or establishing habits and developing skills that prepare you!
That last step is critical! Because here’s the final thing. The most dangerous place to put your “why” is “some day.” Some day in the future. Because the enemy’s greatest weapon against our heavenly call…is distraction. Even King David fell into that temptation once.
I encourage you today. Begin where you are, with the “why” you have, and take a step forward toward it. As you actively pursue your “why” and our King who gave it, you will be opening yourself to begin growing into the full purpose He has for you!
#why #growing #pursuit #EveryWriterWriting
