What is God's Call for My Life?

God's Call on Your Life

Introduction: A Timeless Story

The Bible is not merely an old book—it is an eternal book, and because it is timeless, it is always timely. While the story of Moses and the burning bush happened thousands of years ago, it teaches us what God always does. God has a calling for every one of us.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

You may have been called a mistake by others, but you are your heavenly Father's masterpiece of workmanship. God designed you for a specific purpose before you were born. He doesn't need you, but because He is a good Father, He delights to involve His children in the accomplishment of His will and the building of His kingdom.

The Story of Moses and the Burning Bush

For 400 years, the Israelites cried out to God from slavery in Egypt. Their silence from God was not His absence—it was His timing. God is never late, but He is rarely early. At exactly the right moment, God appeared to Moses, an 80-year-old shepherd.

"The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." (Exodus 2:23-24)

God revealed Himself to Moses in flames of fire from within a bush that burned but never burned up. This sign was significant: the sign of an encounter with God is not emotion—it is rearranged priorities. Fire causes chemical reconstruction. When something burns, it becomes something new. When you encounter the consuming fire of God, you are transformed.

Three Things That Matter

God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, but Moses was afraid. "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?" he asked. God's response revealed His eternal name: "I AM WHO I AM."

Before stepping into your calling, you must discover what it is. Your calling exists at the intersection of three things:

1. Affinity: What Breaks Your Heart?

Affinity is what you cannot stand—what stirs righteous anger in your soul. When Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, something inside him could not accept it. He saw injustice and could not ignore it.

Ask yourself: What breaks your heart? What injustice or need, when you see it, ignites something inside you? Different people have different callings because they have different affinities. You may care passionately about different things than your neighbor does—and that's by design.

2. Ability: What Are You Good At?

Look at your design to understand your destiny. Moses spent 40 years in Pharaoh's court learning leadership, administration, and diplomatic skills. Was that a coincidence? No. God equipped him for the calling He would later give him.

Ask yourself: What do other people affirm that you're good at? Don't rely solely on your own judgment—you cannot step outside yourself to evaluate yourself objectively. Ask trusted people what strengths they see in you. God often takes skills you've developed in one season and redirects them toward His kingdom in another.

3. Opportunity: What Doors Are Open?

This is the critical question, because it's not all about you. It's about God's glory and His kingdom. While affinity and ability are about your preferences and gifts, opportunity is about where the greatest need is and where God has opened doors for you to serve.

Ask yourself: What doors are open to me? Where is the greatest need in my church and community? Your life is not just about your fulfillment—it's about people being helped and God being glorified.

"Life is all about a bunch of forgiven nobodies trying to tell everybody about a somebody who can save anybody."

Your Calling at the Intersection

When you find the intersection of affinity, ability, and opportunity, that is your calling. That is what God has designed you to do. Some of you have never discovered this. Some of you know what it is but have not yet stepped into it.

Here's the truth: you're not going to want to do it. When God reveals your calling, fear and self-doubt will rise up. Moses said, "I don't have what it takes." But God's answer was simple: "It's not about who you are. It's about who I am."

The I AM God

God revealed His name to Moses: YHWH—"I AM." This is not just a name; it is His eternal identity. Throughout the Old Testament, whenever Israel lacked something needed to accomplish God's calling, He attached His name to their lack and promised to supply it.

• When Israel was wounded and sick, God revealed Himself as Jehovah Rapha—"I am your healer."
• When Israel could not walk faithfully before God, He revealed Himself as Jehovah Mekoddishkem—"I am your sanctifier."
• When Israel felt alone and afraid, God said Jehovah Shammah—"I am the God who is ever present."
• When Abraham faced an impossible circumstance, God said Jehovah Jireh—"I am your provider."

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ Himself takes the "I AM" name and applies it to every area of our greatest need:

• To the hungry: "I am the bread of life."
• To the thirsty: "I am living water."
• To those in darkness: "I am the light."
• To the lost: "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
• To the afraid: "I am the resurrection and the life."

Moving Forward in Faith

Whatever you lack, whatever you feel disqualifies you, whatever makes you afraid—He is that. Whatever you are not, He is. He has promised to be with you.

• You think you can't be a good parent? He can.
• You think you can't make it? He will be with you.
• You're full of doubt? He is faithful.
• Your past is checkered? He is righteous.

The secret to stepping into your calling is simple: Say yes, take the step, and trust that God will figure out how you land. That is the life of faith. That is how you walk forward in confidence, knowing that the God who calls you is the God who sustains you.

Call to Action

Some of you need to step into a calling to serve God's purposes for the first time. Before you leave, text the word SERVE to 20411. We will help you find a team that exists at the intersection of your affinity, ability, and opportunity.

Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of your faith. Let Him lead you in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. And as you go, remember: the God who calls you is the great "I AM," and He supplies everything your calling requires.