Has God given you something to do during this season of your life?

Moses was in mid-life, tending his father-in-law’s sheep when God called him. Moses saw a bush on fire, but it wasn’t burning up. He could have ignored this oddity out in the desert, but instead he walked over to check it out. It was then the Lord called to him “Moses! Moses!” God told him he was standing on holy ground, then he said, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3). Moses couldn't believe what he was hearing, but our omniscient God had a plan. 

It seems that before the Lord called Moses, he wanted to get Moses' attention. He wanted Moses to notice the burning bush, leave the sheep he was tending, and walk over to it. Moses had to do his part. To discern our call, perhaps we have to do our part as well. Perhaps we have to notice what's going on around us, press pause on what we are typically doing, and seek to hear from the Lord.

I believe the Lord has something for each one of us to do to advance his mission in the world. God knows all about us and our calling brings together everything in our lives. Mark Labberton writes in his book, Called, how our sense of call often emerges from our life's experience: “Our faith in Jesus Christ combines with our experience in the world to raise up an awareness and concern for certain things more than other things. As this occurs, we begin to see the world in a particular way that further stimulates our thoughts and feelings, education and action. We start acting out of a set of growing convictions that we should pay attention to someone or something that seems necessary and important." (148) Have you discerned your calling?

God has created us with gifts, given us varied life experiences (some very painful), and placed us in a particular place that we might do our part to advance his mission. If you don't know what he has called you to do, perhaps he’s waiting for you to become curious, to pause what you are currently doing, take off your shoes, and listen for his call.

Interested in thinking about your calling? Tim Keller offers three essential questions to reflect on.
 

1. AFFINITY: WHAT “PEOPLE NEEDS” DO I RESONATE WITH? Contrary to what many books on spiritual gifts say, do not start with yourself. Don’t start with an abstract inventory of your gifts and skills to discern your aptitudes. Aptitude tests are based on past experience and self-knowledge, and your self-knowledge is limited. Even though it is one of the ways God shows you your ministry, I don’t suggest starting there ...

2. ABILITY: WHAT ARE MY ABILITIES AND DEFICIENCIES? It is important to look at your abilities. Many people become burdened to see a ministry begin, but they are not realistic about their own abilities and limitations. For example, they themselves want to be leaders even though they do not have the gift of organizing and galvanizing people to follow them ...

3. OPPORTUNITY: WHERE DOES THE COMMUNITY TELL ME I AM NEEDED? Finally, we must refuse to be individualistic in the way we discern our ministry. The doctrine of sin alone should be enough to prove that you should not be trying to make this decision yourself. Seek to answer this question as you listen to others.

Spend some time this fall prayerfully discerning what our all-knowing God has uniquely gifted and called you to do. Talk about it with a few trusted friends and family. Knowing what God has called you to do brings a tremendous sense of purpose and focus to your life. We can’t do everything but we can do something.