Fighting for Your Future
When I hear the word “Future,” the first thing that runs through my mind is the classic Scripture verse…
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a FUTURE.”
On top of such an incredible promise like that, our Heavenly Father also loves to give us specific direction concerning our lives and destinies. Perhaps you’ve had a prophetic word about a spectacular future that He’s laid out for you. Or perhaps He’s spoken purpose and destiny to you through dreams and visions.
Either way, God has incredible plans for your future!
But did you also know that we all have to FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE? Purpose and destiny don’t just happen. Quite often, they take hard work and discipline, and the tenacity to fight, fight, fight.
But what exactly are we fighting?
1. APATHY
// As a music teacher for twenty four years, I am keenly aware that many people have unrealistic expectations of their skill level and their future in the music industry. I mean, it’s one thing to have dreams and aspirations, but the “High School Musical” dream has given this generation significant brain damage.
Success doesn’t happen overnight, without first laying a foundation of hard work and dedication.
Repeat after me… “Practice Makes Permanent, not Perfect.”
If you practice wrong, you will be permanently wrong. If you practice right, you will be permanently right. Practice just solidifies what you do and who you are.
Ever heard of the 10,000 Hour Rule? If you spend 10,000 hours doing something, you will become the master of that one thing.
Ten thousand hours playing guitar will make you a master guitarist.
Ten thousand hours writing computer programs will make you a master computer programmer.
So, is God calling you to be a doctor? A teacher? A politician? Then don’t be lazy. Don’t be apathetic.
Embrace hard work! Your FUTURE requires it.
2. FEAR
I remember seeing a journal in a local mall that said,
If your dreams don’t scare you, THEY AREN’T BIG ENOUGH. Click To Tweet
Whoa… that’s wild. Do I run from my purpose and destiny because it feels too big or too dangerous?
If I were honest, I would have to admit that I would’ve NEVER moved to South Africa had I’d known we’d be here this long. The fear of the unknown would’ve stopped me from my destiny. //
No wonder God is often silent on the details when He asks us to do something. He shows us just enough to get us to step forward, and only then does He show us a little bit more. He knows that we struggle with fear and we’d faint if we saw the whole picture. So He walks us forward, step-by-step.
I’ve occasionally accused God of tricking me, but after walking with Him for this many years, I actually think it’s His mercy that He doesn’t tell us everything. Otherwise, most of us would refuse to obey. He patiently gets us out of our comfort zone and into the future.
How about you? Have you allowed your fear to keep you from stepping out?
3. INSECURITY
Insecurity might sound like a minor battle, but it isn’t. It’s a killer when it comes to purpose and destiny.
Sometimes it can be rooted in fear of rejection or fear of failure, but there are other times when insecurity is rooted in ‘false humility’ and a misunderstanding of who God says we are.
I’ve been faced with this exact issue this past week concerning my book. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to do marketing and advertising. Wow! I’ve been so careful to NOT brag, NOT boast, and NOT be aggressive, that I’ve been guilty of not saying anything.
And then God severely convicted me and said,
“Shauna, this is MY book, not yours. Stop being shy about it. If you don’t tell people, how will they know that they need to read it? Be bold. Get it into their hands now!”
A friend of mine also said,
Sometimes, humility is the boldest thing you can ever do. Click To Tweet
So, my friends, what is God asking you to do with your life? Are you shrinking back because you don’t feel qualified?
Don’t shrink back. Don’t be insecure. Run with courage into your future!
4. THE ENEMY
And lastly, we must also fight the enemy for our future. This week, I’m even more aware of this as a dear friend of ours is currently in ICU in Port Elizabeth and fighting for her life. Her future. Her destiny.
Only thirty-one years old and in perfect health, Jenna van der Westhuizen is a fit, active, happy wife and mother to two beautiful little girls. Heart attacks happen to other people, not young mommies. This should not be happening to her.
But that’s exactly what happened late Monday evening while the couple lay sleeping. Thank God her husband woke up and knew what to do. CPR, ambulance, hospital, life support.
It’s been almost five days since that dreadful moment, and the prayers of her family and friends have not stopped. Our entire church community across the globe has been activated: South Africa, Australia (where she’s from), New Zealand, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Sri Lanka, etc.
At this point, her heart is only functioning at 18% and she should be experiencing heart and organ failure, but the doctors are amazed at the “unexplainable” results that she is experiencing… organ renewal instead of failure.
She is awake and aware of her surroundings, still on a ventilator because she is so weak, but this beautiful woman is a fighter and she’s desperately fighting to live.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR JENNA!
WE NEED A MIRACLE! WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR HER FUTURE!
————————-♥————————-
♥ HOORAY! 
My book is available on Amazon and Kindle. And yes, you NEED to read it. God is speaking some incredible things to his children!
In South Africa, you can order a physical copy from me. Send me a personal message and we’ll make arrangements.
For more info, check out the book page here!
————————-♥————————-
Every Friday, I join an inspiring group of writers to write for FIVE MINUTES on a one-word prompt. No editing. No revising. Just WRITE. This week, the prompt word was FUTURE.
// indicates the start and stop of the timer.
For more information on Five Minute Friday, check out Kate Motaung’s site!
I am getting ready to retire so I needed your words. I am your neighbor on Five Minute Friday. Blessings my Friend.
Awesome, Diana! I’m so glad to meet you.
I can imagine what a massive change retirement would be. Praying that Father would be so near to you in this season. My favourite verse is Isaiah 30:21 NLT, “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.'” Blessings!
Thanks so much for visiting!
I haven’t written my 5-minute Friday yet… please tell me you fudged on the time and it was longer than 5 minutes. If not, that is amazing! I’m new to FMF, but realized at 2:30… it was Friday and I needed to check out the new site.
So sorry to hear about your friend, Jenna. Praying for her!
Hi, Eva! So nice to meet you. Haha, I wish I could think and type that fast. No, the 5-minute part is marked within the // symbols. I’ve found that five minutes is just enough time to prime the pump and that creativity just keeps coming after the buzzer goes. So, I learned the // trick from some of the other FMF writers. It’s great!
Let me know when you post your FMF post and I’ll go read yours too. Have a great week! 🙂
Praying for Jenna. Praying very, very hard.
Gonna need a new pair of kneepads.
#1 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/06/your-dying-spouse-318-pain-glory-and.html
Wow. Thanks so much, Andrew! That means so much to me… especially coming from someone who has so much to pray about for himself. Jenna is making slow improvements (she laughed today, despite still having all of the breathing tubes in the way), but she isn’t out of the woods yet. We are really trusting God for a miracle!
Still praying for you too, my friend. For your health, your strength, your wife, your dogs… and now your kneepads. :)(Thanks for always making me smile!)
Wow, feeling for Jenna- what a crazy thing to happen and so pleased that she is making progress in her recovery. I loved the quotes that you included – about practice making permanent and our dreams not being big enough if they don’t scare us – profound…
Thanks, Emma. They are profound, aren’t they? I often remind myself about the dream one. If left to my own comfort zone, I think I would always choose smallness. Thankfully, God believes in us way more than we believe in ourselves.
I’ve been thinking about you so much this month in your adjustment to the new baby. Thank you for all of the updates you send. I remember those days like they were yesterday. You are an amazing woman!
And thank you so much for praying for my friend. She’s not out of the woods yet… really trusting God for a miracle!