Have you ever predicted somebody's destiny? Sure you have. That kid down the street that always got in trouble; you predicted he would go to prison. That other kid up the street who brought his books home from school and actually studied them, you predicted he would go to college. How were you able to make those predictions and be so accurate? It was because you became an observer of their actions.
Stephen Covey in his landmark book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," made a statement that became the foundation of his treatise. He stated that a person's thought would lead to action and their actions will lead to habits and their habits will lead to character and their character will lead to destiny. Using this application, we can see how we became such a good predictor of a person's destiny. We saw their actions and predicted their destiny.
Did you notice how lousy you were at trying to change their destiny? We tried our best to save that neighbor, friend, or relative from prison. We told them about their actions and where it was taking them. It was all for naught. They still ended up in prison. Have you considered why you could not help them change their destiny?
We must turn, not to Stephen Covey for the answer to this question, but to the Bible. The Bible takes us to the source of change. Its teaching is all about change and it gives us the prescription to change our destiny. Let us examine one short example in Mark 10:46-52 .
A blind beggar named Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by and began to shout to Jesus to have mercy on him. The large crowd that was following Jesus tried to silence Bartimaeus, but he refused to shut up. He yelled even louder. Jesus heard his cry and asked him what he wanted from Him. He responded by asking for his sight. Jesus said to him Go... your faith has healed you.
Everyone had made a prediction about Bartimaeus' destiny. He was blind and he was a beggar. They knew he would continue to be blind and a beggar. They saw his actions, but there was one thing they could not see and that was what blind Bartimaeus believed! He believed if Jesus would have mercy on him that he would receive his sight. Because he believed that, he would not let the crowd silence him.
It was not his yelling that attracted Jesus, but the faith that kept him yelling when everyone turned on him. It is your faith that is being tried when you face being ostracized by your friends and family. It is your faith that is tested when you feel the pain of people predicting your destiny because of your predicament rather than on what you believe. However, persist; your faith will lead you to a destiny that people cannot see.
What the Bible teaches us that Stephen Covey did not mention in his book, was that our thoughts are based on what we believe. Change what you believe and you will change what you are thinking. Change what you are thinking and you will change your destiny. When you are facing a reoccurring difficulty, examine what you believe. By making changes, you can eliminate the difficulties you are facing.
The key to faith is not do you believe. The key to faith is what you believe. If you believe the wrong thing, it will keep you dysfunctional. However, when you believe truth, it will make you free. Jesus made this point in John 8:31&32 when he said: "If you hold to my teaching...then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." (NIV)
Do you want to change your destiny? Then change what you believe. To change what you believe for your good, make sure what you are now believing is truth! Here is a good place to start. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:7) Know Jesus and you will know truth. Believe what you know and watch your destiny change!
