What happens when you pray and things seem to get worse instead of better. That’s what happens to God’s people in Exodus. God has heard his people’s groans and sends Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the people go and Pharaoh says ‘No!’ And then makes life harder for them. They now have to collect their own straw to make the same number of bricks.
The people grumbled against Moses and Moses goes to God with a strong question. What’s going on?!
And yet, the Lord had already told Moses this would happen because God would harden Pharaoh’s heart (4:21). God is in control even in the hardship, even over Pharaoh’s heart. Over the coming chapters we will see various ways of describing Pharaoh’s hard heart. Sometimes we are told Pharaoh hardens it, sometimes that the Lord hardens it, and sometimes just that it was hardened. These are all ways of describing the same thing but from different angles. All it takes for God to harden anyone’s heart is to withdraw his grace that prevents them from being as bad as they naturally would be. From Pharaoh’s perspective, he’s in control, he boldly asks “who is the Lord?” (5:2). As far as he’s concerned he’s in charge. But look out over the coming chapters how many times we are told “as the LORD has said.” It turns out God is in control even over Pharaoh’s stubborn heart. If you’re one of God’s people that should reassure you. No evil can come upon you that the Lord is not sovereign over (and of course working for your good through-remember Genesis 50:20) and even the most stubborn heart can be changed by the sovereign LORD. Think of the apostle Paul who was so opposed to Jesus that he was putting Christians to death, but when the risen Jesus confronted him, he was changed! The same apostle Paul encourages us in our reading from Galatians 6 not to grow weary in doing good, to keep on sowing, knowing that at the right times there will be a harvest.
The sovereignty of God is such a comfort. Have a look at the number of times God says “I will” in Exodus 6:6-8. He promises He will rescue, restore and give His people rest.
All those promises find their ultimate fulfilment in Christ.
Are you in the middle of things getting worse instead of better, be encouraged that God is still in control even when it seems so hard, ask for His help to trust Him that He is at work for your good, ask for a sense of perspective that you may see your present troubles as light and momentary in comparison to the eternal glory.
If you’re not in the middle of things getting worse, pray for those who are, and ask the Lord to help you remember this lesson for when things do get harder.
Light and Momentary Troubles 
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