Well, Moses couldn’t say God didn’t warn him.
God told him that Pharaoh would be hard-hearted and wouldn’t listen to Moses. But that sure didn’t stop Moses from complaining.
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and didn’t even ask him to let the people free. They just asked to be allowed to go on a three-day holiday to worship God.
But Pharaoh answered, “Who is this God that I should obey him? You guys are just being lazy! Get out of here and go back to work!”
Then he told the slave drivers to make things tougher on the Israelites. He made them search for straw to make bricks instead of giving it to them but refused to reduce their quotas.
When the Israelites complained, Pharaoh said “It’s your own fault! You’re too lazy! Now go back to work!”
As a result, the Israelites complained to Moses and wouldn’t listen to him anymore.
Moses then complained to God, saying,
O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me?
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all. (Exodus 5:22)
In other words, “I did what you told me! Now look what happened!”
When God encouraged him to go to Pharaoh and try again, Moses told God, “I told you I’m not a good speaker. If the Israelites won’t listen to me, why would Pharaoh?” (Exodus 6:12)
God never promised that things would go smoothly if Moses obeyed him. God told him exactly what would happen.
But somehow it didn’t sink in, and when things started going bad, Moses was ready to give up.
How many times do we react the same way when things go wrong in our lives.
We do the things God has told us, but instead of things going smoothly, everything starts going wrong. And then we start to complain and are quickly ready to give up.
God never promised us a smooth ride when we became Christians.
He never promised that our lives will be completely happy and trouble free.
Jesus said,
Truly I tell you…no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30)
A lot of people like the part about receiving good things from God, but God also said persecutions are the norm of the Christian life as well.
Jesus would later tell his disciples,
In this world you will have trouble. (John 16:33).
He didn’t say we might have trouble in this world.
He didn’t say that there was some remote possibility that we might have troubles.
He said, “You will have trouble.”
But then Jesus said, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
In other words, though we may face trials and persecutions in this world, ultimately, God will see us through.
Jesus took care of our greatest need by dying on the cross. He’ll take care of our other needs too.
So remember that just because you’re following God, he doesn’t guarantee that your path will be smooth.
What he does promise is that if you follow him, you will reach the other side
And when you do, you’ll find that it was all worth it.
So when things get tough, don’t give up. Keep going.
Ultimately, there are no regrets for the person who follows him.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 