Calling

Our Calling Is Wrapped Up In Our Identity

"In the end you don't so much find yourself as you find someone who knows who you are." ~ Robert Brault

As we begin exploring the issue of calling (or purpose), we must begin not by discussing what we are called to DO, but who we are called to BE. Before we are ever called by God to do anything, we are first called to be a specific unique someone. God called Jeremiah a prophet before he spoke a single prophecy. God called Gideon a mighty man before he ever fought a battle. Finding our true identity precedes and informs walking in our purpose. I like to use 4 stages of the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land to illustrate this point as it relates to our lives:

1. Slaves In Egypt: You don't know your purpose. You have not become who you were called to be and you are not doing anything purposeful with your life. At this stage, you are a slave to someone else's purpose.
2. The Failed Spy Expedition: You know what you are called to do but you have not yet become who you need to be. When you try to do what you are called to do before becoming who you are called to be, failure is guaranteed.
3. Wandering The Wilderness For 40 Years: When you are becoming who God called you to be, but you are not yet doing anything great. It often seems like you are going in circles through trial after trial because you are not seeing a lot of external accomplishments.
4. Conquering The Promised Land: When you become who you are called to be in God and have discovered what you are called to do. Then God establishes you in the place of great exploits.

(You can read of this Israelite journey in the entire books of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy plus Joshua chapters 1-6.)

So, let's talk about this idea of becoming. Why must we become? The short answer is: Because we do not know who we are. Who we believe ourselves to be is called our identity and we often have a false identity informed by our life experiences until we meet Our Creator and He begins to tell us who He really created us to be. He is the only one who fully knows our true identity.

Now here's the part that Is critical. It is primarily experiences that shape our identity, not information. More specifically, we become who the most influential persons in our life think we are. The most powerful influencers of our identity are usually our parents in our formative years as children. These are the people we trust and believe (for better or for worse). Therefore, when God says that we are His adopted sons and daughters it is meant to be a very tangible experience of God becoming the most important and influential relationship in our lives that then reshapes our identity. This is more than just reading about who God says we are in the Bible. We need to encounter Him like Gideon, Jeremiah, and Paul did. Gideon thought he was the least in the weakest clan until God appeared to him and told him he was a mighty man of valor! Jeremiah thought he was too young to speak up until God told him he was a prophet! Paul thought he was a persecutor of Christians until Christ knocked him off his horse and turned his life around 180 degrees!

The good news is that because the Holy Spirit lives in us we can have these encounters every day. We need to! But it requires a shift from seeking information to seeking intimacy with God. More on this tomorrow.

For today the key takeaway is this: We can only powerfully be the person who God created us to be and only that person can influence others because that person has the secret sauce of leadership - authenticity. You cannot lead like me and I cannot lead like you. In my intimate moments with Him, He has called me His little fire-starter, a joy-carrier, and a man after His heart like David. What dazzling facets of Christ's beauty were you meant to display to the world? In daily intimate time with Him, He will tell you the amazing truths of who you are.

Journal with Holy Spirit: Which stage do you see yourself at in the Israelites' journey? Do you know what unique characteristics of His nature God has given you?