Pink Kitchens And Brown BricksMuestra

It gets worse before it gets better

When Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh, they felt sure of their God and of what He had told them to do. But Pharaoh quickly poured cold water on the plan—he didn’t know and revere their God, so how could he possibly understand God’s will for the people of Israel? He didn’t see the big picture the full story. So instead of granting their request, he made things worse for them and for the people of Israel. He told his foremen in charge of the Israelite slaves:

You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; … Make the work harder… so that they … pay no attention to lies.

Pharaoh didn’t believe God had commanded the Israelites’ release; he just thought they were lazy. Then he decided that he would not only not let the people go, but he would also make their lives miserable in their slavery. He would deny them straw but require that they continue to make bricks. In other words, he made the productivity he demanded virtually impossible by taking away the very materials needed to complete the job! Can you imagine the feelings such a decree must have generated?

For those seeking and following God’s will, you need to know that circumstances may get worse before they get better. Darkness may come. Discouragement too. But don’t miss the reality that you and I are part of God’s grand story. As someone once said, “Life is God’s novel; let Him write it.” In God’s epic tale, our lives are significant, but they are not the whole story. Pharaoh thought the God of Israel was a footnote in his personal story. But he was wrong.

Don’t be confused by hardship and think that something must be amiss if you face opposition. Jill Phillips’s song “Grand Design” hints at this truth: “I feel the pain but it still doesn’t change who You are; nothing I feel is outside of the reach of Your arms.” ¹ If we imagine that God’s will includes only our own personal story, we’ll never make it through hardship. But if we can see it as part of His grand design, we’ll take comfort in His plan and His presence. We’ll make it through. It’s not the pink kitchen that matters, but the conversation while eating the eggs.

Note
1. Jill Phillips, ""Grand Design,"" from the Writing on the Wall CD (New York: Sony Music, 2003).