Hope for the Hurting: For the Hurting: Encouragement for Suffering Seasonsنموونە

When God called Moses to liberate His children from centuries of slavery and oppression in Egypt, their circumstances felt dark and hopeless. Worse, in fact, than before Moses began his liberation mission. He’d done as God had asked, had spoken with the Pharaoh, only to see the ruler retaliate by making the people’s lives worse. Scripture tells us that same day, Pharaoh ordered the slave drivers and foremen to stop supplying the straw the people used to make their bricks, forcing them to get it themselves, without decreasing their daily quota.

They were probably hot and exhausted. Their muscles, joints hurt, and hearts hurt, and not just because of what they personally endured. They must’ve felt distraught seeing their loved ones suffer as well.

The ancient Hebrews couldn’t gather their supplies and make bricks. When everyone came up short, the slave drivers whipped the Israelite foreman. So they pleaded with the Pharaoh, “Please, don’t treat your servants like this,” desperate for the beatings to stop.

But Pharaoh only shouted at them, accused them of being lazy, and told them to return to work.

Tormented and afraid, the people found, and cursed, Moses and Aaron.

You can probably imagine how it felt, hearing this. Granted, God told Moses it would take numerous displays of His power before Pharaoh released the Hebrews. But Moses obviously didn’t expect Pharaoh’s cruelty to increase to the extent it did. Or, maybe he didn’t expect his people to blame him. And so, distraught, he asked God why He sent such trouble on His people.

When life hurts, we might question God’s goodness or feel like He’s ignoring our prayers. He may, in fact, be setting us and our loved ones up for a life-changing miracle.

As He did with the ancient Hebrews, freeing them in a way they’d reflect upon, and gain strength from, for generations.

We belong to the same strategic, powerful, loving God, and He’s still leading His people to freedom. Sometimes things become harder before they get better, but our miracle-working Father is bigger than all of our problems combined.

~Warmly, Jennifer Slattery