Pt Four: Your Destiny-A Blessed Place

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

People can experience tough times for a diversity of reasons at any time. Times can get even tougher when the economy gets like it’s been. When times get tough—especially economically—people often get this feeling like they are floundering; they’re wandering, grasping for straws, just trying to do what it takes to survive. I’ve been to that place before. I was there early on in our marriage when we started having children and Renee and I prayerfully made the decision for her to quit her job to stay home with our children. She was making more than I was which meant we lost over half our income. The world’s economy wasn’t bad at that time but our personal economy had gotten scary. We made the decision for her to quit because I was convinced that I would do what it took to survive and I wasn’t afraid of hard work. I was also convinced that God was with us and would lead us in the way.

We experienced the temptation to doubt that. We experienced the temptation to think God had forgotten about us. It wasn’t the truth but then Satan was never one to encourage us or paint pretty pictures when tempting us to doubt God.

In the story of Cain, he had murdered his brother. He tried to avoid the truth about it in a discussion with God and showed no remorse other than for his own personal condition. Cain had brought terrible consequences upon himself and was literally cursed. God told him that he would become a vagabond; a wanderer for the rest of his life. That wasn’t God’s doing. It was Cain’s. He was stubborn, jealous, rebellious, and unrepentant. He was cursed. When someone is like this, they will wander through life as a vagabond.

You are not a vagabond. You are not a wanderer. You may be working to survive but you are not an aimless person wandering aimlessly never getting anywhere. No, when you received Jesus, God made a promise to you. He said, “But Christ has redeemed and rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Galatians 3:13

In tough times this thought needs to anchor you. You are not cursed. You are blessed. God has not abandoned you. Hebrews 13:5 instructs our thinking saying, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” The Lord is not saying you shouldn’t work to improve your situation. He is telling you not to grasp for straws while trying to survive, letting it lead you to violating integrity. You don’t need to because I am with you!

You are not Cain. You are not rebellious. You are not a wanderer. You are blessed. God will lead you. Shake off desperation. Seek God for guidance and for the steps you should take. GET FOCUSED! Be diligent to seek Him and work toward your future. You have one a blessed one. Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” Because you do belong to Him and are blessed, He’ll lead you to your destiny; a blessed place!

Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you.

In His love,
Pastor Tim