Exodus 5 — Thoughts

Remember This When You Feel Like A Failure

Have you ever felt like you've failed before you even started? You're working hard, trying to do something good, but everything goes wrong from the beginning.

Moses definitely felt that way. He was sent by God to free the Israelites from their slavery in Egpyt. But instead of a great victory, things went from bad to worse. Not only did Pharaoh refuse to let the Israelites go, he also made their work even harder. And they resented Moses for it! No wonder Moses prayed, "Why, God? Why?"

But the rough start to the Exodus isn't the only story in the Bible that follows this pattern. The disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah who would change their world forever. But before that could even happen, He was killed on a cross. Like Moses, they probably asked God "Why?"

Of course, there's more to the story. Israel would victoriously be freed from their slavery. And Jesus would come back, bringing us freedom from sin and death. With God, the victory is already won (1 Corinthians 15:57). We just can't always see it from the start.

The Christian life doesn't look like going from victory to victory. We will experience failure, hardship, and persecution (John 16:33). But we have this promise from God: He will accomplish what He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6).

So don't lose heart when your spiritual life gets rough. The Israelites were eventually freed. Jesus resurrected three days later. And our lives are already securely in the Lord's hands (John 10:28). You have a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7).⁠ Feel free to live in it, no matter the circumstances.

(Originally written October 16, 2020)