From Destruction to Destiny

Have you ever been in a season where life feels like it’s straight-up crumbling around you? Like, you had plans, you were doing all the right things, and suddenly—BAM!—everything falls apart? You’re left looking around, wondering, God, what in the world just happened?

Yesterday’s Sunday School message had me thinking about how often we mistake destruction for the end of the story when really, it’s just the middle. God has this way of taking what looks like ruin and using it as a stepping stone to something greater. What feels like a breakdown is actually a setup for breakthrough. Destiny is waiting on the other side.

Let’s be honest—none of us enjoy seasons of loss, struggle, or confusion. We like smooth sailing. But growth, strength, and resilience? Those things don’t come from comfort. They come from the moments when life throws us into the fire, and we’re forced to trust that God is up to something bigger than we can see.

Maybe you’ve lost a job, and now you’re questioning your worth. Maybe a relationship ended, and you’re wondering if love was ever real to begin with. Maybe life threw you a curveball so wild that you don’t even know which way is up anymore. It feels like destruction. But here’s what God whispered to my heart: destruction is not the end. It’s a transition.

Nature has a way of showing us how God works. Have you ever heard about wildfires? They are intense, destructive, and leave everything looking like nothing but ashes. But here’s the part most people don’t realize—beneath those ashes, something has already been planted.

Some seeds actually need fire to grow. There are trees and plants that won’t even germinate until extreme heat activates them. What looks like devastation on the surface is actually the very thing that allows new life to push through. And isn’t that just like God?

We look at the ruins of our situation and see loss, but God sees new life. We feel burned out, broken, and done, but underneath it all—a planting has already taken place. At just the right time, in the right conditions, life will push through again.

Your pain, your tears, your struggles—they are not wasted. God is using every single part of this season to birth something new. You are not destroyed; you are being prepared.

I can’t help but think about Joseph. A man with dreams, confidence, and favor—but none of that stopped life from knocking him flat. His own brothers sold him into slavery. He was falsely accused, thrown into prison, and probably had moments where he wondered, God, how did I get here? Yet, in every setback, God was positioning him for something greater.

Joseph went from the pit to the palace. From forgotten to favored. From betrayed to being the one who would later save his own family. What if your setback is actually your setup?

Romans 8:28 says:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

Yes, even this—the part of your story that doesn’t make sense right now. The heartbreak, the loss, the disappointment—God is working it together for your good.

We see destruction. God sees the foundation for something new.

We see an ending. God sees a beginning.

We see rejection. God sees redirection.

What if that closed door was actually God’s way of protecting you? What if the things that fell apart weren’t meant to go with you into your next season? What if your detour is actually the fastest route to your destiny?

We serve a God who doesn’t waste pain. Every loss, every tear, every disappointment—it’s all part of the story He’s writing. And spoiler alert? The ending is in your favor.

If you’re in a season where it feels like everything is falling apart, don’t quit now. Destiny is on the other side of this.

Like those wildfire seeds, what was planted in you is still alive. Your breakthrough is coming. What looks like devastation today may be the very thing God uses to push you into your purpose. So don’t despise the process. Don’t let the enemy convince you that this is the end. It’s not. Your best is still ahead.

"Lord, when I can’t see the full picture, help me to trust that You are still in control. When life feels like it’s falling apart, remind me that You are building something greater. Give me the strength to keep walking, the faith to keep believing, and the peace to rest in Your plan. In Jesus’ name, Amen."