Walk in FreedomSample

Why Am I Here?

God has a designed plan and purpose for each person He creates. One question that can be helpful in discerning His plans for you is, “What frustrates you about the world?” Often, what frustrates you about the world is what God is calling you to fix. You’ve probably heard of Florence Nightingale. As a teenager, she realized her calling in life was to be a nurse. When the Crimean War began in 1853, Florence organized a team of 34 nurses and headed to the battlefield. She set about making sure that rooms in the military hospital were adequately cleaned. She established food, laundry and library services for patients. And she worked tirelessly to help wounded soldiers recover. In the process, she reduced the death rate in the hospital by two-thirds. Also consider George Muller, who cared for more than 10,000 orphans during his lifetime. You may ask, “How could I do something that big?” The answer is that God provided. Muller never made direct appeals to people for money. He simply prayed, and people donated all the funds he needed to support his work. Furthermore, Muller inspired others to follow his example, and as a result, more than 100,000 orphans were cared for in the country of England. Another inspiring story of someone who made a difference is found in the Bible. It involves a man named Obadiah. While Israel’s wicked queen, Jezebel, was killing God’s prophets, Obadiah took 100 of them, hid them in caves, and supplied them with food and water (1 Kings 18:4). We also read in the Bible about a man named Barzillai. He brought food and supplies to Israel’s king, David, who was on the run from his son, who had staged a successful coup (2 Samuel 17:27-29). David was eventually restored to power, but in the meantime, God used Barzillai to help meet his needs. There isn’t enough space in today’s devotion to retell the stories of many other people like the ones mentioned above, but the point is clear: These individuals saw needs, and with God’s help, they met them. Today, take time to consider the words of Ephesians 2:10 and ask yourself, “What good works has God prepared in advance for me to do?”

PRAY: Lord, you have a heart for justice and you love the poor and oppressed. Open my eyes to the people you have called me to serve. Equip me as your servant, and help me understand the work that you want to do through me.