What steps can we take to trust God's plan during challenging times? When Confidence Meets Confusion “So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, ‘Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Is this why You sent me?’” (Exodus 5:22) Moses had obeyed God, yet Pharaoh’s oppression grew worse. His honest cry shows the tension every believer feels when obedience seems to deepen, not lighten, hardship. This verse opens a practical pathway: learn to trust God’s plan precisely when circumstances shout the opposite. Step 1 – Bring Real Questions to the Real God • Moses “returned to the LORD.” He ran toward, not away. • Scripture never rebukes humble honesty (see Psalm 62:8). • Deliver your raw “why?” to the One who already knows it. Step 2 – Rehearse God’s Character and Promises • Immediately after Moses’ complaint, God says, “I am the LORD” and repeats “I will” seven times (Exodus 6:2-8). • Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that He should lie.” • Romans 8:28 anchors every trial in His good purpose. Holding fast to who God is steadies us when we cannot see what He is doing. Step 3 – Remember Past Deliverances • God had already declared, “I have surely seen the affliction … and I have come down to deliver” (Exodus 3:7-8). • Psalm 77:11 urges, “I will remember Your wonders of old.” • Keep a record of answered prayer and personal rescues; yesterday’s faithfulness fuels today’s trust. Step 4 – Obey the Next Clear Instruction • God tells Moses, “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go” (Exodus 6:11). The command hasn’t changed just because the pressure increased. • John 14:15 links love and obedience; trust grows through doing what you already know. Step 5 – Lean on the Community of Faith • Earlier, Moses and Aaron gathered Israel’s elders, and “the people believed” (Exodus 4:29-31). • Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us to meet and encourage one another. Isolation magnifies doubt; fellowship multiplies courage. Step 6 – Anchor Everything in Christ’s Finished Work • 2 Corinthians 1:20: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him.” • John 19:30: “It is finished.” The cross proves God’s plan triumphs through apparent defeat. • Hebrews 12:2 urges fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Step 7 – Wait with Expectancy • Psalm 27:14: “Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous.” • Isaiah 40:31 promises renewed strength for those who wait. Waiting is not passive resignation but confident anticipation. Putting It All Together 1. Run to God with honest questions. 2. Review His unchanging character and rock-solid promises. 3. Recall His past interventions. 4. Do the next thing He has already made clear. 5. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow believers. 6. Fix your gaze on Christ’s finished victory. 7. Wait, expecting God to act in His perfect time. These steps, rooted in Exodus 5:22 and woven through the whole counsel of Scripture, train the heart to trust God’s plan—even when the path grows darker before dawn. |
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