by Priscilla Lack

All of us carry a role in life, and sometimes we carry several at the same time. As our lives unfold, our roles may shift or come to an end, making the way for something new to come forth. Roles often have the element of God’s purpose being developed in our lives.

When I look at Moses and some of the other Biblical Patriarch’s, I’ve noticed how they carried several roles. As they walked with God, their positions changed (and sometimes their residences) throughout their lives. This had to have been difficult. Yet even if they struggled, we see how they became faithful.

Consider Moses’ different roles. As a youth he grew up in Egyptian royalty. When he was old enough to understand, he realized his birth parents were Hebrew slaves. This naturally stirred up conflicts. In one of these conflicts he ended up in a fight with an Egyptian soldier. It didn’t end well for Moses and he had to flee Egypt. No longer in a royal position, he settled in Midian and became a shepherd.

One day, while shepherding his sheepfold, God met Moses in the wilderness. The Lord called him to be a deliverer for the Hebrew slaves who were still back in Egypt. Yahweh knew Moses was equipped to know the ins and outs of the Egyptian ways and how to approach the Pharaoh. He also knew Moses would have compassion for his own Hebraic lineage.

Nonetheless, when the Lord first called him to be a deliverer, Moses had trouble seeing himself that way. His self-image didn’t fit with what God saw in him, and so he told the Lord he wasn’t speaker. After several miraculous signs, Moses decided to push past his weakness and Yahweh helped him fulfill his role as a deliverer. In his latter years, Moses became a great teacher for the Children of Israel. He taught them the ways of God, and those teachings are still with us today.

How we see ourselves can influence which roles we choose. If our self-image is inaccurate, we may miss doors of opportunity. The process of healing our heart brings restoration to a true self-image. We learn to see ourselves as God sees us. For example, if we’ve seen ourselves as unworthy, restoration helps us receive God’s love and see how He values us.

At times, we may think the Lord doesn’t let us have learning curves. We can hold unrealistic expectations of ourselves and think we have to have everything figured out immediately. But Jesus loves to walk with us through the process of growth. It’s comforting to understand that God doesn’t expect us to know something right away, but rather gives us time to learn how to walk in it. Like Moses, if He is calling us to a new role, He will support us.

Transitions

Sometimes our roles will expand or change throughout our journeys of life. These transitional passageways can be difficult. If we’ve lost a role we’ve carried for a number of years, we may feel like we’ve lost our identity, purpose, or dreams. Whether the change is gradual or sudden, a void may arise within our heart. What we do with the emptiness will equip us for the new season God has for us − or sabotage it.

Some role transitions are positive. We may have a promotion at work, or become a parent for the first time. Maybe we learn something new about God that we never understood before. Our new view helps us leave a self-defeating lifestyle for a healthier lifestyle with new opportunities. Yet, even good shifts can be challenging because the familiarity of our usual routines are fading.

We might also experience difficult role transitions due to life circumstances: the loss of a spouse, the loss of a child, a relocation; a divorce, the loss of a job, retiring from a position, becoming an empty nester, incurring a sudden disability, or a sudden change in financial status.

At times, the loss of a role or a status might connect to the past in some way. Our feelings become layered, and the past slips into the present. We might remember a childhood role we carried in our family of origin. Maybe we were the scapegoat of our family, and those echoes rise up to pull us back. Even if we’ve overcome this old label, we may still find our heart in sadness for what was. If that’s so, we can give ourselves compassion with reminders of how we’ve overcome the old role.

It’s important to respect and appreciate where we’ve been, what we’ve walked through, and what the Lord has worked within us. Becoming settled in the unique identity God has given us opens the way for new meaningful roles. He has a purpose and a plan that dovetails with who He has created us to be.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

© 2025; Priscilla Lack, all rights reserved; photo courtesy of Unsplash.com