A devotional is an in-depth Bible study. A typical devotional should take you anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to complete. Download and print a PDF version of this devotional for yourself, or use it with a friend to create an engaging discussion.
Opening Questions
- Do you still truly believe God has a great destiny planned for you?
- How excited do you feel about living out God’s purpose for your life? Have you drifted and become more excited about other things?
Bible Study
God has a destiny for you
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 TPT
God planned a destiny for each of us before we were born. Our destiny is not just about us. It is about becoming recreated people (people that grow and change), people that are joined or connected to Jesus, and people that are doing good.
What talents did God give you? How can you use these talents to do good for others?
Lord, I have chosen you alone as my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. I leave my destiny and its timing in your hands.
Psalm 16:5 TPT
- God will fulfill our destiny at the right time, not necessarily in our timing.
- When we trust in God, we will keep working towards fulfilling our destiny.
What stops us from living out our purpose?
30 But the hearts of the Jewish religious leaders and experts of the law had rejected the clear purpose of God by refusing to be baptized by John.
Luke 7:30 TPT
- The religious leaders didn’t want to repent because they thought their way of living was better than God’s way.
- Do you believe God is a better choice than your sin, than the world, than doing things your way?
- What do you refuse to believe or trust about God?
- We reject God’s purpose when we keep doing things our way and refuse to change.
Don’t do anything only to get ahead. Don’t do it because you are proud. Instead, be humble. Value others more than yourselves. 4 None of you should look out just for your own good. Each of you should also look out for the good of others. 5 As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did.
Philippians 2:3-5 NIRV
- Self-interest stops us from living out our purpose. Self-interest is when we only look out for our own good, and it stops us from seeing God’s bigger destiny for our lives.
- What kinds of things do you do when you are looking out only for your own good?
- The opposite of self-interest is thinking and acting as Jesus did.
How to rekindle your belief in destiny
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9 NIV
- Doing good helps us live our purpose. When you keep doing good for others, you will see a harvest.
- What good can you do in the next 7 days?
so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 NIV
- To make an impact on others, we need to share our lives with others.
- When we love people, we’ll be vulnerable with them.
- What about your life can you share with others today that will help them in their relationship with God?