Minister Isaac Muriungi
Life is a journey, and every journey involves a process. Destiny unfolds in phases, and progress comes through stages. Behind every story lies glory. Your challenges, scars, and setbacks are not punishments but preparations for greater things.
Consider the young boy who was bullied at school. He approached a karate expert for training, yet instead of learning combat techniques, he was given menial tasks: washing cars, sweeping the garage, and other chores. He felt punished and frustrated. Only later did he realise these were building his stamina, discipline, and readiness for real battles. In the same way, life’s trials equip us for the destiny God has prepared.
The Scripture in John 11:1-4 (KJV) illustrates this truth: “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”
Lazarus’ sickness and death were not the end; they were for the glory of God. The story culminated in resurrection, manifesting Christ’s power and bringing honour to the Father. Every scar in our lives becomes a testimony. Just as a mother bears scars from childbirth yet rejoices in her child, our wounds point to God’s redemptive work.
When God unveiled the blueprint of your life, Satan was listening. He knows your purpose and fights to hinder it, but God remains sovereign. Your story is not random; it is orchestrated for His glory. Challenges arise because you carry destiny the enemy seeks to thwart. Yet we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
Faith is essential: it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, as Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) declares: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith enables us to see the invisible, believe the incredible, and receive the impossible.
Delays are often redirections; pain becomes power. As Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) promises: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Do not give up in despair. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. In John 10:27-28 (KJV), He assures: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” If you hear His voice and follow, no one can snatch you from His hand. Your Redeemer lives, and because He lives, you can face tomorrow.
Thanksgiving catalyses miracles. When Jesus raised Lazarus, He first gave thanks, as recorded in John 11:41-42 (KJV): “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.” In every trial, give thanks, for God turns pain into gain, barrenness into fruitfulness, and despair into hope.
Your story is God’s story. Trust Him to write glory into it. Surrender fully, for as Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) concludes the matter: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Application Recognise that every challenge, delay, and scar in your life serves as preparation for God’s greater glory, not as punishment. Cultivate unwavering faith to see beyond the visible, persevere through trials, and wait upon the Lord for renewed strength and breakthrough. Practise thanksgiving in all circumstances as a catalyst for miracles, trusting that God turns pain into power and loss into testimony. Hear and follow Christ’s voice diligently so that no force can separate you from His protection. Surrender your entire story to Him, fearing God and keeping His commandments, and allow Him to transform your personal journey into a lasting testimony of His glory in this season of double harvest.
