Our lives can get so caught up in finding our purpose, even in Christianity. Most of the forefathers of the faith struggled with this same problem, even when God was right there with them. Obviously, we need to better understand this paradigm. Let’s dive into the lives of some Bible heroes and how we can learn from them as to Who God is and who we are—and aren’t!

When God called Abraham, it was incredible. He would have a name and a Promised Land. He would be responsible for a generation. So Abraham left all that was familiar to him and followed God. The promise of God was incredibly attractive to him to the point where he tried to manufacture the promise himself. But somewhere along the journey of life Abraham moved from the promise of God to the Person of God, for when God told him, essentially, “Kill your promise,” the very next day, early in the morning, Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him (Genesis 22).

How did Abraham become transformed into the man who was willing to put a knife to the promise, his own son? The answer is the Person of God superseded the promise of God.

The calling of Moses is also incredible. He would be the man who would deliver the nation of Israel from the Egyptians. What an incredible purpose and calling! But he too tries to manufacture the calling. He tries to fulfill the purpose of God himself, and he gets taken off-course for four years. God then calls him back again and puts him on the journey of taking his people to the Promised Land. Moses returned to the Person of God, back to God’s will for his life.

Halfway through the journey, God tells Moses (paraphrased), “You know what? This is it. I’m not going to come with you anymore. I’m going to send my angel, and you take them to the Promised Land.” If I were in that situation I would have probably said, “God, that’s a great idea. This is my purpose and calling. This is my promise. I got this so I will go on and take the people to the Promised Land.” But Moses said …

“If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:15-18 NIV)

Somewhere along the journey, the mind of Moses was transformed from his purpose to the Person. We see this same thing occur in the story of David and later with Paul. And, of course, in the life of Jesus, we see how to live only Person-driven. Throughout the centuries, this transformational journey moves man from purpose, promise, and prophecy to the incredible Person of God Who is the source of everything.

When we have the Person, everything else falls into place. Our purpose then becomes inconsequential. The goal is to experience the Person of God inside of us, not as an understanding, theology, or ideology, but as a cognitive reality of the Spirit of God testifying to our spirits that we are children of God, which we recognize in our minds. That is the awesome journey of Christianity where we move from being purpose-driven to being Person-driven.