In the Daytona 500, only one person is behind the wheel, but dozens of other people change the tires, fill the gas tank, and keep the car maintained. That is why auto racing is considered a team sport. In a similar way, destiny fulfillment is not a solo journey; every one of us needs a support team, which is where our family and friends come in:
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Destiny discovery and development cannot take place in a vacuum. You will never fully know yourself or your destiny apart from community. You need other people to provoke you into becoming the person you intend to be. Fellowship with others helps keep you accountable and encourages you to stay the course.
In the Kingdom of Heaven, God made us to need different “nutrients” to stay healthy, and in His wisdom, He ordained that these various nutrients would come to us from different sources. Prayer and God’s presence are able to deliver certain spiritual vitamins, while the Word of God delivers others. Likewise, some necessary elements can come only through fellowship with other believers. When we cut ourselves off from true connection with others, we deprive ourselves of a set of nutrients that cannot be found in any other spiritual resource.
As you experience true fellowship, or what the Bible calls koinonia (life in common with others), you are able to access God’s resources in abundance and are empowered to fulfill your destiny in Christ. Interdependency is a key to your destiny.
In addition to family and friends, you need leaders in your life who can help you excel. These leaders are called mentors and coaches.
In modern terms, coaches are people who guide you forward even though they may not have experience in your field. They encourage you to make commitments that will cause you to become the person you’re supposed to be. Mentors, on the other hand, are people who have actually taken your road in the past and can help you know what to expect. They know enough of your world to bring the kind of detailed input you need to grow in specific areas.
Mentors and coaches are essential, and we all need to honor their place in our lives. The writer of Hebrews says:
Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.”
All of us need leaders to guide us. These leaders could come in the form of a pastor, an uncle, a boss, or a sports coach; they could be our parents. Wisdom can come from many sources, and we don’t have to figure out life all by ourselves.
Getting the best from your leader requires an attitude of honor. When you honor the leaders in your life, you position yourself to receive the fullness of what they have to offer. The greatest compliment your coaches and mentors could ever be paid is that you surpass them in fruitfulness and fulfillment. True leaders want their ceiling to become their students’ floor. Honoring your leaders will accelerate your destiny fulfillment.
You are in the race of your life. You need friends, family, coaches and mentors to be with you. Without them your wheels will only spin. Maybe you’ll go a few feet…but not complete the race for your God-given dream and destiny! With God as your leader and those around you as your support team you can be confident you are on your way!