Destiny and Success

Part of my daily routine is reading a devotional called The Word in other words. I think it's a great format because it gives a Bible passage and then a reflection, usually from a priest or a nun. There's also a space given for the reader to write a few thoughts down. So in a sense, this has become my diary.

One of the passages talked about how Thomas Edison was once fired when he was working as a telegraph operator. "He got so interested in the machine and its workings that he started finding ways how to improve it. So engrossed was he that he forgot all about the messages that were coming over the wire. Consequently a lot of messages remained unsent and undelivered. Of course, he was discharged." (Fr. Gerry del Pinado, SVD)

The story of Thomas Edison is a perfect example of God's will. How so? If Edison was never fired, then he wouldn't have been able to do all the other things that he was destined to do, to invent, to discover. I believe that God plants us somewhere to grow, because we CAN grow anywhere...even in the most seemingly unpromising circumstances. He has destined for us to succeed. But there are times when He needs to uproot us because there are other places where we could bear more fruit. And if only I could constantly see things in that light, I think I will see in every challenge, in every roadblock, a chance to grow rather than to wallow and get stuck in the failure.

Now others may argue that destiny isn’t everything. And I will agree to some degree. I just believe that God has planned success for each of us. All the steps, resources, and opportunities are there. But He has also given us the free will to take the steps as we may. The final destination is success, but the journey is in our hands (clichéd as that may sound).

It’s like a deck of cards. I think that the reason why people sometimes feel that success is not in their cards, is because they are looking at the wrong hand. God deals, and it’s up to us to play it right. We are responsible for creating our realities (thank you, BASIC, FLEX, and ALC for that lesson). Ultimately, we are destined to win. The pay-off just depends on how much we are willing to risk, at what cost, and how patient we are until we get the card that makes the difference.