Will You Accept God’s Destiny? - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - October 17, 2025

“I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants.” Luke 1:38 (TLB)

Your destiny is largely determined by the questions you ask. The braver and more honest your questions, the further in life you’re going to go. 

Just before the very first Christmas, Mary—who would become the mother of Jesus—had to ask herself a very brave, important question: Will I accept God’s destiny for me? 

There are a lot of misconceptions about Mary. But what made Mary very special is that she was willing to accept her destiny. She was willing to trust God in the things he was calling her to do.

The Bible tells us Mary’s story: “God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!’ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:26-29 NIV).

Mary was young—probably no older than 15. And an angel showed up and basically told her, “God’s about to send a Savior into the world, to be born just like everyone else. And you’re going to be that baby’s mom, even though you’re still a virgin.” 

And Mary’s response? “Mary was greatly troubled . . .” Mary was terrified. She didn’t know what to do, what to say, or who to tell. She probably thought, “No one’s going to believe me. Not my mom, my friends, or even Joseph.” She was afraid.

The story continues: “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:30-33 NIV).

This would be no ordinary birth because this was no ordinary baby. This child was going to be the Son of God—the Messiah, the Savior. 

And how did Mary eventually respond? The Living Bible paraphrase records her response: “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true!” (Luke 1:38).

Why did God choose Mary over all the other women on the planet to be the Messiah’s mother? 

It wasn’t because of her education. She had none. It wasn’t because of her wealth. She was a poor peasant girl. It wasn’t because of her maturity. She was barely a teenager. Why did God choose Mary? 

Because she trusted God completely and she was willing to accept God’s destiny for her, even though it meant hardship, misunderstanding, and criticism. 

What about you? Are you willing to say yes to God’s destiny for you—even if you are afraid or doubting or know the road will be tough? You can trust that God’s destiny for your life is best for your life, far better than anything you can think up for yourself.

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Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

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