If someone had asked me some twenty years ago, do you see yourself being a Pastor? My answer would have been a firm no! In hindsight, I can trace the path that led me to this unexpected destiny. I can assure you that my past experiences have everything to do with what I have become.
The Bible tells this story about a man by the name of Joseph. He was one of twelve sons of Jacob. The story reveals that he had a series of dreams that painted a picture of him becoming a great leader one day. While his dreams revealed what he would become. Amazingly, his dreams never revealed what he would experience before becoming this great leader.
In reality, this is how God sometimes operates regarding our lives. God will give you a snapshot of your destiny, which will later motivate you when you arrive at those rough, exhausting, frustrating, and perhaps embarrassing stages of your journey. What is even more amazing about this mysterious process is that everything you will experience during this journey will prepare you for what you will become.
So, Joseph's journey began with his brothers' intense jealousy towards him. Part of the reason, of course, was that their father favored Joseph above his siblings. Nevertheless, his brothers plotted to kill him but eventually sold him into Egyptian slavery. He ultimately became a Butler in Potiphar's house who was an Egyptian official. So here we have Joseph, who his brothers rejected, who now becomes the leader (Butler) in his enemy's house. The Biblical account further reveals that Joseph was so good at his job that the only thing Potiphar knew of was the food on his table because Joseph cared for everything else. Joseph was then accused of rape by Potiphar's wife. Of course, this was a false accusation because Joseph did not give in to the temptation offered by Potiphar's wife. Joseph would eventually be thrown in prison as a result of this.
While incarcerated, Joseph was surprisingly put in charge of his fellow inmates. Again, we see where Joseph's life challenges, good and bad, were shaping and grooming him into what he would become. Also, while in prison, he used his gift of dream interpretation to reveal the destiny of a few of his prison mates.
I see my life as a mirror of Joseph's life. While I had no idea what I would become, and indeed no intentions of becoming what I became. In hindsight, I realized that every person, everything, and situation led to this. With this understanding in mind, it is difficult to truly despise my past betrayals, frustration, confusion, disappointments, and countless times of humiliation.
I mentioned earlier how Joseph utilized his gift of dream interpretation while in prison among his fellow inmates. This same gift of dream interpretation launched him into leadership by interpreting Pharoh's dream. Again, like Joseph, it would have been my gift of dream interpretation, along with my detailed teachings, that launched me into the limelight. At the same time, my journey was very challenging and confusing. There is absolutely nothing I would change because I know they were all supervised by God to align me with His divine will for my life. I have since coined the phrase, "The will of God supersedes any personal plans I may have for my life."
I want to encourage someone who feels like their life is a sentence of misery and frustration and can not make sense of what is seemingly a cycle of nonsense. You must convince yourself that God has a plan for your life. According to His word, he plans to prosper you and provide you with the excellent end" Jeremiah 29:11. Secondly, you must further convince yourself that because God has a plan for your life, nothing in your life is happening by chance or accident. He promised you that all things, including good and bad, are working in concert for your good.
Finally, according to the Bible, "A man's gift will make room for him and bring him before great men" Proverbs 18:16. After all of the molding and grooming via life circumstances that I am sure may not seem favorable to you at that time. God will use the gifts and talents that he has given you to springboard you into your destiny. So, rather than focusing on why these things are happening to you, the reality is it's happening for you.
Say to yourself, "Heavenly Father, forgive me for complaining about my life circumstances. I know you have a plan for my life and supervise what trafficks in and out of my life. Please, Lord, help me discover my gifts and callings so that I can focus on them during my grooming and molding process. You will use these gifts and talents to launch me into my destiny and bring me before distinguished people in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
Kevin L A Ewing
ewinglakevin@icloud.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com
www.kevinlaewing.com
