Destiny is about work...and more work.- Bishop T.D Jakes

Pt. 5 of an in-depth series on destiny guided by T.D. Jakes' most popular lessons.

Have you ever wondered, “If God is always with me on the road to destiny, why in the world is the journey so difficult?” If you are anything like other people who have discovered their purpose and are actively pursuing it, that question must have occurred to you by now. Though the question is asked by people of destiny the world over, God never promised any of us that the road would be easy. In fact, He anticipatedthe difficulty of your journey and is using it for your benefit.

Let me explain.

First, let’s understand something people often gloss over: Your destiny is planned. It’s yours and belongs to no one else. Only you can achieve it, and no one else can take you there. You must trust God’s guidance and leading on the road to your purpose. With that being said, He explicitly promised you that He would be with you. Note that the promise isGod’s presence and not that you wouldn’t have to do the necessary work in the preparation process.

Many people get excited about their destiny and purpose, but rarely do they want to engage in the refining process that prepares them to stand in that purpose. Though God goes with you on the journey, strengthening, encouraging, and leading you, God’s presence does not abort the training process. He is with you, but you must go through the “wilderness” on the way to your destiny. The reason behind this is the wilderness experience is meant to prepare you and develop your character. It’s meant to bring you to the point of trusting God. The wilderness process removes from you everything that has nothing to do with your destiny.

You are placed in the process to be pruned. Everything that is not of faith will die in the wilderness process. The wilderness is designed to kill off all unbelief in you, purge your motives, and ready your heart.

To answer your question of why the road to your destiny is so difficult when God has promised to be with you, it’s all a part of your development to ensure your ability to not only arrive at your destiny, but also live in your destiny.