All of us have had a lot of things happen to us. Although all of us have had some good things happen to us, we have had some really bad circumstances that have weakened our faith in God.

Sometimes it is the bad. We allow challenges and struggles to define who we are and our usefulness in this world. Being raped, abused, neglected, insulted, and rejected can mess with our self-esteem and self-worth. Going through the death of a loved one or experiencing a divorce can be more hurtful than being burned with a live piece of coal.

We all know what this type of pain feels like. For us to heal from the pain and hurt that makes us cry and question our faith in God, we have to realize that the call and purpose God has over our lives is greater than our pain. It doesn’t matter what happened to us, because we still can bring beauty into this world. The beauty God wants us to bring is his glory. Regardless of what has happened to us, we still can overcome our circumstances and be used by God. God is still calling our name to do his divine will.

One of the most famous characters of the Old Testament, Moses, had a lot happen to him. Had it not been for some midwives, Moses would have been killed at birth.

Then a good thing happened to him when a courageous mother and sister helped Moses float down the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter had compassion on him and raised him. Then something really bad happened to him, and he murdered someone and found himself on the run for his crime. We all know about his experience with the burning bush.

Moses met God, who appeared in the form of a burning bush and called Moses to free the Israelites from over 400 years of Egyptian slavery: “So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” Exodus 3:4.

Moses let God know that he had a speech impediment, and that he would not be the right person for the job. It turns out that Moses was the right man for the job and ultimately led the people out of Egypt. Moses is proof that whatever has happened to us or whatever we have done, God still can use us for his glory. We cannot allow our physical limitations or our spiritual shortcomings to make us believe that we can fulfill God’s purpose over our lives.

How many people live underneath the mantle of guilt and shame, believing that they can never do something great like helping a community live free of bondage and giving them hope of living in the land of milk and honey?

We allow one mistake to make us believe that God is through with us. All we have to do is look to the way God dealt with Moses to understand that God looks beyond our faults and sees our needs—and his desire for us to give him glory.

Whatever has happened to us (and how God has made us) is for our good and for his glory.

We may not invade Egypt and free an entire nation of people, but if we permit ourselves to heal from our sins and our hurt—we will have the opportunity to do something great in God’s Kingdom.

Let us ignore those negative voices on the outside and inside of us, which seek to define our worth and what we are capable of through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us hear the voice of the burning bush calling us to greatness and purpose. God is still calling our name, just as he did to Moses.