Lean Into Unlimited Possibilities

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In your lifetime, you’ve likely heard someone say — either to you or especially to a young person — “You can be anything you want to be, you can do anything you want to do.” These are nice sentiments with good intentions, but they are simply not true. And potentially damaging. 

Consider this: I cannot wake up tomorrow and decide to become the president of Poland. It's not just a matter of desire; it's a matter of alignment with who I am and what I'm meant to do. I also cannot become the next TikTok popstar. I can sing any song I’d like until my voice is hoarse, but I cannot sing well nor do I have a TikTok account. 

What I’m trying to say is this: I do not get to be or do anything outside of my Area Of Destiny — my unique Eden —  the predestined framework for my life. 

Area of Destiny is a life-organizing principle. It defines the boundaries and possibilities of my life. It is my place, the context in which I am to live,  love, work, and play. When we know what our life is supposed to be about then we can organize everything else around  it, so everything becomes about the same thing - mission, passion, and gifting. 

We do not choose our God-given destinies. But we do choose, as did Adam and Eve, whether to fulfill them. Within that destined place, our decisions and actions determine how much of what God says is possible for us will actually come to pass. 

I want to be clear about this Area Of Destiny or our “destined place.” In this particular context, “place” refers not to geography but to the predestined realm of possibility in our lives. What was my life meant to be about? What is my purpose? What are my gifts? What is my sphere of responsibility? Only in that place do I get to name possibilities.

It is within these boundaries and in partnership with God that anything is possible for me. I can be anything and do anything there.

If you’re still trying to wrap your mind around the full picture of Area Of Destiny, another approach is to ask the question most of us have posed in some way many times: What is God’s will for my life? Once I know this and pursue this, then I find that sweet spot of life — a place in which I can live and love and work and rest in confidence. In the New Testament, James strongly cautioned against arrogant presumption in the planning of our lives:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

Be careful, though, as misunderstanding this passage can paralyze you and be used as an excuse for passivity and inaction. But as I have come to understand that I can learn God’s plan for my life, I’ve learned I can be free, within my Area Of Destiny, to “go” and make plans and “carry on business … make money … live … and do this or that.”

Once I discern His will for me, I am able in that place to pray, make decisions, strategize, and live boldly:

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

But discerning God's will isn't a one-time event; it's an ongoing process that requires wisdom and discernment. We must seek His guidance in every aspect of our lives, asking for clarity and direction in our decisions. We must ask who, what, when, where, and how. But the difference is now we can begin with the premise that God brought into our Area Of Destiny a possibility that we can more easily name “yes.”

Ultimately, embracing our Area Of Destiny liberates us to live boldly and authentically. It's a journey of self-discovery and faith, where we trust in and play an active role in God's plan for our lives and step confidently into the possibilities He has prepared for us.

Imagine the possibilities that open for your life when you lean into your Area Of Destiny. What are you waiting for? It’s time to walk in the confidence that comes from knowing we are fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.

You can learn more about Area of Destiny in my book “The Hospitable Leader” in Chapter 6: Anything is Possible in Your Area of Destiny. You can order your copy at www.terryasmith.com/hospitable-leader