Deep down in your soul, you know you have been called to live out the mission God has given you.

That deep-seated passion of yours is no coincidence, no mistake. God has placed that calling within you for a reason, and He plans to use it for His glory. It's one thing to know your God-given calling, and another thing to live it out. With all of the distractions of our world, plus our own self-doubt to compete with, it can feel impossible to step out in confidence, living as bold witnesses for Christ.

Today, we're sharing some examples from Scripture of God empowering His people to do incredible things—things they could only dream of! Of course, we can't fulfill our mission without God leading us, allowing us to push past our discomfort and live the life we were called to lead. 

Here are two inspiring stories in Scripture of God leading His people to live out their higher calling, despite fear and discomfort. 

1. Moses & A Lesson on Leadership

But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." ~ Exodus 3:11-12

Familiar with this story? There's a lot to unpack here, but we're starting off with Moses encountering God through the burning bush. We meet our hero on the run in the midst of the Midian desert, shepherding his flock. Surprisingly, God uses this moment to call on Moses to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of the Egyptians, out of slavery. 

Moses is stunned, and rightly so. Not only is encountering God's presence an awesome and terrifying thing, but he's grappling with this hefty calling God has bestowed on Him. Moses has no previous leadership skills and he lacks the courage to do the job. Perhaps 40 years earlier, prior to his banishment, this prince of Egypt would have had more confidence! 

There's something to be said here for God using us ordinary, very human instruments to do His work in our world, when He could really do it all Himself.

Why does He choose to work through us? To allow us to be part of His story—for good.

As the Enduring Word commentary says, these verses are key to this story because God takes the attention off of Moses and his anxiety and onto Himself. "Therefore, God never answered Moses' question of “Who am I?” Instead, He reminded Moses “I will certainly be with you.”

"Who am I do to this?" This is the question Moses asked that God wasn't concerned with. This has little to do with who we are and more to do with who God is.

God finalizes His commitment to Moses by saying everything he needs to know in order to move forward with his mission—"I will be with you." This is all we need to know, too! Before we can protest, we must realize that God's presence is all we really need to accomplish the task at hand, to step into our higher calling. 

He is with you. Let that sink in for a moment. How can God's assurance change the scope of your fear, and of the mission He has called you to fulfill?

2. Daniel & His Ability to Discern Dreams 

Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come." ~ Daniel 2:27-28

The story begins with Daniel and his friends being recruited to serve the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Since they live in the land of their captors, during the Babylonian exile, Daniel and his friends are pressured to give up their Jewish identity by forsaking the food laws outlined in the Torah. Despite the risk, they choose to remain faithful to the Torah and to God, and this captures the attention of the king. As we see in the Bible Project's video commentary on the book of Daniel, God delivers them and elevates them to a position of honor at the king's side.

The king is having troubling dreams and recruits all sorts of sorcerers and magicians to interpret them. Unsatisfied by their interpretations, the angry king decrees that all wise men in the kingdom be killed. That night, a vision comes to Daniel regarding the king's dreams. 

There's a lot at stake here for Daniel. If he gets this wrong or angers the king in any way, him and his friends would be put to death. We see here how Daniel exemplifies a faithful servant of God. Despite the risks, He graciously receives God's vision and puts it to action. 

Ultimately, Daniel is rewarded for his boldness and faith. Again, we see God empowering His believer to do incredible things, things they could not do on their own power, and using them to further His kingdom.

At the end of chapter 2, we see King Nebuchadnezzar impressed by Daniel's interpretation, and gives credit to the one true God. "The king said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery." (Daniel 2:47)

Again, similar elements are here: there's a very ordinary man, a call from God, and a faithful obedience to that call, despite the risk. 

We can see that no matter what obstacle stands in our way, our God is greater. Why? Because He is the one true God and He is all-powerful. Friends, don't bemoan the mountains you need to climb. Rejoice in the miraculous inner journey our God is calling you to. He will equip you with everything you need to accomplish His mission. All you must do is trust and obey. 

"Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe? All things are possible for one who believes." ~ Mark 9:23

A Sweet Reminder

There you have it, LiF sisters! Consider this the motivation you need to carry out God's will for your life. We encourage you to take some time now to pray about this. What has God called you to? What initial feelings are you noticing—fear, anger, excitement, dread? Pray that God may deliver you from anxiety and allow you to move forward with confidence. Remember, Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." For even more inspiration, check out our selection of Christian t-shirts and accessories, featuring hopeful Bible verses and imagery!