Dear Church Family,

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan (our plan, that is). We often have our idea how our lives should go and, when things go completely different, we feel like God has let us down.

Moses was called by God to deliver his people from Egypt. God revealed Himself to Moses, gave him powerful signs, and even revealed to Moses how He would deliver the people. Even so, Moses wasn’t prepared for the difficulties ahead of him. When Moses returned, he and Aaron met with the Elders of Israel and revealed all that God had told Moses and performed the signs in front of the people. The people believed, bowed their heads, and worshiped the Lord. I’m sure this was an incredible moment, but shortly after, Moses and Aaron met with Pharoah. Not only did he not let the people leave, but he made their work much more difficult by making them find their own straw to make bricks. The Israelite foremen came to Moses and Aaron complaining about this news. I’m sure Moses felt abandoned and confused. This is when he says to God:

Exodus 5:22-23 (ESV)
Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”

It’s difficult to trust God when it feels like He is doing evil to us and failing to deliver us. Interestingly, right when Moses felt God was doing evil, He was about to do great good for His people. Right when Moses claims that God has not delivered His people, God begins to enact His plan of deliverance. God was actively working even though Moses could not see it from his point of view.
Remember, no matter your situation or how things are going, God is actively working behind the scenes. When it feels like He is doing evil, He is doing good. When it feels like He has failed to deliver, He is working out deliverance. It is going to look different than you expected, but you will look back from the span of eternity and remember that God worked all things, even your situation, together for good.
David Bronleewe