They were on a crusade field organized by the Church. An argument ensued between the Senior Pastor and one of the youth leaders. The argument was so sharp that the brother left the crusade field angrily and never to return again, to the Church or the ministry. In fact, that was the last they heard about the brother as far as the work of the ministry is concerned. He was a promising minister and leader, but he missed his place because of anger.
Friend, don’t let anger and offences separate you from your destiny. Forgive the offender and move on with God. Don’t let anger move you into danger. Don’t let disagreement separate you from your portion in destiny. Check out this account of Paul and Barnabas and you would see the need to guard against offences; “And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus” (Acts 15:39).
There was a sharp disagreement! The disagreement between Paul and Barnabas and their eventual separation was probably the reason you never heard of Barnabas again in the book of Acts. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark (because of family tie), Paul thought and insisted otherwise, they both went their separate ways; Barnabas took Mark, Paul went with Silas, and afterwards, we could only hear of Paul and Silas, and not, Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41). Listen, you can disagree to agree. Don’t let disagreement take you away from a destiny linkage. Don’t lose your place trying to prove a point.
Guard your place and portion jealously. Recognise why God has brought you to a person or a place, and don’t allow disagreement and offences to displace you. As a married woman, don’t let your husband’s “side chick” take you away from your portion in that marriage, stay there. Forgive his extra marital affairs and continue in that marriage. Learn to treat issues without losing your place. Don’t let the words of your pastor or a relational issue between you and any Church member take you out of your God ordained Church. Understand that “Church is people, problem and devils”. We would relate with people and if we don’t learn to handle relational issues well, we may truncate our destiny.
Stay where God has planted you and never allow quarrels, disagreement, offences and the likes, to push you away from your inheritance. Learn from the story of Abraham and Lot; “And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle…And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife…” (Genesis 13:7-8). Let there be no strife! Your destiny is more important than your trying to prove that you are right. It is not about who is right but about WHAT is right. Lot allowed strife to take him away from a destiny of preservation and prosperity with Abraham (Genesis 13:8-13).
“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life” (John 6:67-68). Peter and some of the Apostles of Jesus had reasons to have left Jesus too. The message was becoming stronger, the demands were looking unbearable. But they chose to stay; they knew where and with whom their portion in life and destiny life, and they wouldn’t trade it for anything. Protect your heritage and your inheritance. Protect your lot and your portion. Determine to; “hold fast what you have, so that no man will take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Amen!
© ‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria