Confusing Callings

The worst feeling is knowing what God has told you to do and feeling like you misheard or misrepresented Him. You know, those times when God has very clearly told you to do something or shared something with you, and when you share it, people think you're absolutely ridiculous? That's okay. It is definitely a struggle when you have no support for something you know God has clearly told you. There are even times when other Christians don't support you, disregarding the fact that you heard it from God. Which seems quite ironic when you think about it... that those who hold the same beliefs as you would look at you like you're crazy when you share what God has told you to do or what He's shared with you. And it's always discouraging. Those people, the ones who believe and trust in the same God, don't accept that you've been told something. That has always made me question if it was right. "Well, if my Christian family and friends don't think this is what God wants for me, is this what He really told me?" But, God is showing me we should question others' opinions before we question what God has told us. 

I've been reading in Exodus. If you don't know the background, the Israelites are slaves to the Egyptians. The Israelites had been crying for help. 

Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. Exodus 2:23-25

God then reveals to Moses that He will set the Israelites free from the Egyptians, and Moses is the one God is going to send to Pharaoh and the one who will lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After a conversation with God about not feeling qualified, Moses is going to do what the Lord has asked of him. Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and tell Pharaoh that the Lord has commanded he let the Israelites go, but Pharaoh refuses. 

Now onto how this relates to what I began with:

It isn't surprising that Pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go (1. because he wouldn't have slaves and 2. because God already decided to harden his heart {Exodus 4:21}), but what is surprising is that the Israelites are not even supportive of Moses. I would assume the Israelites would be ecstatic and supportive if God told Moses He would set the Israelites free. But they aren't. In Exodus 5:21, the Israelite foremen said to Moses and Aaron, "May the Lord judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!" To me that's a little harsh for someone who is trying to save them. 

So Moses returns to God and asks why... Moses is looking for reassurance for what the Lord has told him. And God, so patiently, repeats to Moses what He is going to do and assures Moses that he will lead the Israelites out of Egypt. 

Moses, like us, brings up to God the fact that no one is supporting him. Even those who will benefit from what God is going to do through him aren't supporting him. Moses says in 6:12, "But Lord! My own people won't listen to me anymore. How can I expect Pharaoh to listen? I'm such a clumsy speaker!" So on top of not having any support, Moses is awful at public speaking. 

God sometimes calls us to things we aren't necessarily ready to do and sometimes without any support. We have to be ready to be strong in the Lord and do what He says despite other people. Our support is God's voice and assurance in what He's told us. And like Moses, maybe in the world's eyes we aren't even qualified to do what God has asked of us. But, I've heard this quote before and I agree with it: "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called." (In my opinion, it's better that way because it's easier to stay humble when we don't feel adequate.)

You won't always have the support and encouragement from family and friends when God asks something "big" or "extreme" of you. But what is most important is that you're assured in your heart of what the Lord has asked and that you're faithful to it. Don't let the environment or circumstances around you change what you know you heard God speak. He is faithful to our obedience, and He always does what He promises when we hold up our end of the bargain. 

Don't be afraid to stand alone. God is standing there with you if He told you to do it, and He will walk with you through it which is better than having any person for support.