I believe that there is a lie that has infiltrated the minds of His people in an attempt to render us ineffective. The lie that only those who are on staff at a church or are in some sort of full-time vocational ministry have a call upon their life.
God has wrecked this misconception for me.
The call of God is not restricted to some. The reality is EVERYONE has a call upon their life. You see, it doesn’t matter who you are, whether you have been a pastor your entire career or a factory worker who loves the Lord, whether you’re a stay at home mom or a missionary in Africa. We are all called to be the light and salt of the earth— His representatives and His handiwork.
But His calling isn’t even just limited to those in the church. Every single person has the fingerprint of God upon their life. His desire is that all of us would walk in redemption and answer His call. Even the homeless man downtown who is strung out on meth has a call upon his life, he just doesn’t know it or isn’t walking in it.
Regardless of your situation, if you’re anything like me you’ve probably found yourself looking into the mirror giving all the reasons of why you aren’t qualified to be called. It makes me think of Moses, one of the greatest leaders in all of history, and how he tried to disqualify himself when He was being called by the Creator.
As he approached the burning bush and heard the call of The Lord, immediately the laundry list of reasons why he wasn’t fit for the job came to mind. “I can’t speak”, he said. “I killed a man”, he probably thought. “I’m just a shepherd”, he probably debated in his mind. “Who am I to stand before Pharaoh?! Who am I to lead this people out?!” In due time though, the man who would one day lead millions out of slavery and to the promised land finally asks, “okay, IF I go, who should I tell them sent me?” I love how God responds:
“God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”
You see there is power in understanding that God is the I AM. In that moment it didn’t depend on Moses’ supply of skills for the job because the All Sufficient One was telling Moses He would supply Him with everything He needed to accomplish that which He called him to do.
But God didn’t just stop there. I believe He wanted to speak to the struggle of insufficiency.
“God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac…”
And in this moment you would think that God is going to say the God of Israel, because that’s Jacob’s good side. That’s the side of Jacob that was changed in the wrestling match. If you’re God and you want to make yourself known, wouldn’t you call yourself the God of Israel? But no, that’s not what He told Moses. He says “and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you!”
I believe God is saying the same thing to all of us today who would try and disqualify ourselves because of our past or present shortcomings. He is the God of Jacob! He’s not just the God of your success but He’s the God of your struggle too! The very thing we may use to disqualify ourselves may be the very avenue that God is going to reveal His strength, victory, and glory to the world around us!
Don’t believe me? Take a moment and look at the list of men and women God used throughout scripture to accomplish His work. The majority of them are flawed people much like you and I, but in the hands of the Author of Redemption, He will use us all to make His Name known.
So today, trust yourself in the Hands of the I Am and rest knowing that when He calls, because we are ALL called, He will supply you with everything you need.
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
– 2 Corinthians 12:9-10