We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!

Ephesians 2:10 The Passion Translation

She’d settled into life as it was and had taken consolation in the words of Paul: “Whatever state I am in…”  She wrapped herself in contentment like a thick wool comforter on a cold winter’s day and nestled into a predictability that, over the years, had slowly and methodically suffocated her dreams, hopes, and desires one by one. Some were still breathing, but barely.

Up at dawn, shower, dress, cook breakfast, get kids ready and off to school, battle through the morning rush to just make it to the job for which she was highly over-qualified, a job that had long ago ceased to challenge or draw from the reservoir of creativity within her.  But dutifully, she put in her eight hours and then was hurled into the madness of after-school activities—soccer practices and dance classes.  Then home again. Cook dinner, check homework, go through bedtime rituals with the kids.  On a good night, she’d stare blankly at the TV, watching the Housewives of Somewhere, and wonder how someone got away with murdering her dreams as she watched re-runs of “How to Get Away with Murder” on Netflix.  Pray, read, go to sleep, only to get up the following day and do it all over again.

 Life on auto-play!

 She’d dreamed of more than this! Knew that God had placed deep in her all she needed to fulfill the dreams He’d given her.  And she’d tried numerous times with underwhelming success.  Had met with failure and disappointments but had been undaunted by that…well, at least initially.  But one letdown after another.  One more blow!  One more loss.  Maybe she’d missed God, hadn’t heard Him correctly, she thought. Maybe she hadn’t heard Him at all.  When would things shift?  Would her reality ever align or even vaguely resemble the vision God had shown her? She’d prayed and cried out, “What did I do wrong?”  Made readjustments, moves, necessary changes, yet still, the investment didn’t seem worth the return.  It was such a struggle to produce so little. It was such a battle with no visible, tangible, lasting results. 

 Maybe someone had pushed the default button!  She’d reconciled herself to  “Life by Default.”

 She hadn’t lost faith…or had she?  After all, how much faith is required in the Default Zone? 

 But even in the settling, there was this gnawing, nagging, jabbing deep within.   And the still small voice ever whispering and calling her from this place of seeming barrenness: “You know you were created for more than this. You were saved for more than this!  You were gifted for more than this!  You are destined for greatness!”

“It’s not too late!”

“It’s not over.”

“Try one more time!”

“Step out!  Grace will meet you, uphold you, and carry you.”

“Trust Me!”

“Just do it and see . . .”

“Now is the time.”

God never intended us to live our lives by default!

It had been a long season of barrenness.  Years ago, God spoke to her concerning the call on her life, purpose and destiny.  He had given her a dream so big she couldn’t even wrap her mind around it. But she’d believed God and set out in Don Quixote-esque fashion, ready to fulfill it all. 

Then life happened.   The unforeseen bullied its way into her life and took up residence. The death of a sibling!  Divorce!  Personal health challenges.  A father’s fatal diagnosis.   The needs of a child that superseded her own needs.  A shattered heart. Betrayal by those she believed knew her and loved her unconditionally. And yes, she’d made some bad choices and suffered the consequences. Overwhelmed, she abandoned the dream and neglected the call.  

And she did what so many do.  Took those dreams, that vision, those hopes and desires, sealed them in air-tight boxes, labeled them “Not for This Season!”  “I Was Wrong,”  “Missed God,” and “Not in this Lifetime” and stored them safely away.  Others she’d reduced to something “manageable” and became content to use her gifts and talents when she could and hoped to have some impact.   Yes, she was “content,” if not truly fulfilled!

But the wooing, longing persisted! That still, small voice grew louder, stronger.  For God had never abandoned her and had never abandoned the call, the dream, the vision, the purpose, the destiny He’d placed in her.  He hadn’t reneged on the promise! Before time began, He knew about the sickness, the death, the divorce, the betrayal, the children.     He knew, and He still called her, still equipped her, still chose her to impact a world for Christ.  And through that season of barrenness and seeming unfruitfulness, He continued His deep work in her—forging His character in her, healing her wounded soul, making her whole, strengthening her heart, increasing her faith, rooting and grounding her in His love and in His word, maturing her, transforming her.  Now she was ready!

 Is this your story? If so, you need to know: It’s not too late! God is breathing new life into old dreams and giving you new lenses through which to view  His promises as He whispers gently, “You have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this!  Pick up that vision, revive that dream, revisit that business plan, start that ministry!  Blow off the dust that accumulated while you were living “Life by Default.”  Be intentional! It’s time to leave the Default Zone and  once again live “Life by Divine Design!”

You’ll be amazed by the glorious, miraculous life of fulfillment that awaits!

“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45