Real Hope: Back to EgyptSample

Setbacks

ADDITIONAL READING EXODUS 5-6

One of our most frustrating experiences is to feel as if finally God has got us facing in the right direction and we are in fact obeying Him and then seeing it all blow up in our face. Moses was feeling just this sort of thing.

He had finally agreed to be the one God would use to free the Hebrews from Egypt. He knew it would not be easy, but he didn’t think it would be quite as hard as it had become. Pharaoh had made it doubly hard for the Hebrew slaves as a result of Moses’ activity. And so his own people had blamed him for their increased suffering.

Moses gets assurance that he is on the right track, that it would all come good in the end. But it seems, then as now, God isn’t in a hurry. Even when we go God’s way, there is no guarantee it will all go smoothly. A decision to obey may be followed by a bit of head-scratching as to whether we have in fact obeyed.

We need to remember that a setback is not the end of the story. Discipleship is not one long smooth upward journey. There are hiccups: we are, after all, in a war. The good news is that while there may be setbacks in our battles, the war has already been won.

written by DAVID REAY