He was simply doing what God called him to do, but it seemed so far nothing was going the way he expected. By the time we read about Moses’ return to Egypt to free the Israelites from Pharaoh in Exodus 5, he has caused them to endure harsher labor. “Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all (5:22-23, NASB).’”
Isn’t that like us sometimes? We answer God’s call and move forward in faith that he will do what he says he will, but the problem occurs when we form expectations how God will act. When things don’t turn out the way we expected, particularly when we encounter resistance, frustration sets in. We respond as Moses did and tell God, “you have not delivered!”
What’s hard to see in our frustration is that God is often in the middle of a much grander plan than we can imagine. In the case of Moses, Pharaoh’s resistance and harsher treatment of the Israelites eventually led to multiple plagues that caused the Egyptians to gladly see them leave Egypt:
The Egyptians urged the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead (Exodus 12:33).”
Not only were they sent out in haste, but they were given “articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing” from the Egyptians as they departed (35). “Thus they plundered the Egyptians (36).” In the midst of the Moses’ frustration, could he imagine this result?
When you feel frustrated in pursuing God’s calling, share that frustration with Him. Ask for patience and wisdom in waiting on Him and His plan. Trust that you are only seeing a small piece of God’s ultimate goal.
And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised. – Hebrews 11:39, NASB
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