Hardships to Trust

"But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." -Exodus 7.3-5

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and the work of the people was increased. Moses is wondering why God even sent him at this point because things have only gotten worse. And as he seeks God's direction, signs are promised. God says He is about to act. Here we find one of those verses that has given many people trouble over the years. God tells Moses that He will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I think people have trouble because they don't read the rest of the verse. Why is God going to harden Pharaoh's heart? So that He can multiply His signs and wonders. God is going to harden Pharaoh's heart so that He can display His power.

Israel hasn't known God for centuries. They have heard stories of Him passed down, but He is always referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And if you think about it that's how He was always referred to. He has been the God of one man at a time, never a nation. And for four hundred years they have been slaves, which God told Abraham would happen, but they haven't heard from Him or learned about Him in that time. They don't know who He is, or what He is capable of. How are they to trust Him? God is going to make it easy, He's going to show them His power.

Men, sometimes God does things that don't make complete sense to us in order to show us what He is capable of doing. Sometimes God allows hard times to take place so that we can learn to trust Him more. And sometimes He allows us to experience hardships so that we come to know Him. He said that the Egyptians, a polytheistic pagan culture, would know He was the Lord. Sometimes it's only at the bottom that we can clearly see Him.

What are you going through right now? What hardships or struggles are you facing? What is God trying to teach you? Financial issues? God could be teaching you to have faith in Him to provide for your needs. Family issues? God could be allowing them to help you mend relationships, or maybe sever them. Trouble at work? God could be preparing you for something else, something that excites your heart. What is it in your life?

God is trustworthy. Not everything He does will make sense to us, but everything He does has a point, and ultimately that point is to show us that we can trust Him.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor