“So Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.’” – Exodus 5:22–23 (NKJV)
Moses obeyed God’s call and went to Pharaoh with boldness, but instead of freedom, the Israelites faced harsher slavery. Pharaoh increased their burdens, and the people turned against Moses. Confused and discouraged, Moses cried out, “Why is it you have sent me?” Have you ever been there, obeying God, only to find that things seem to get worse instead of better?
Obedience doesn’t always lead to immediate relief. Sometimes, like the Israelites, it feels as if following God only adds to the struggle. But here’s the truth: setbacks don’t mean God has abandoned His plan. Often, things get worse first because God is exposing the enemy’s grip before breaking it completely. Pharaoh’s resistance wasn’t proof of God’s failure-it was the stage being set for God’s glory.
In our own lives, obedience may bring new challenges: opposition at work, tension in relationships, or unexpected obstacles. But rather than interpreting them as signs that God has left us, we can see them as evidence that He’s about to move in a greater way. The darkness often deepens just before the dawn. God was still working behind the scenes, preparing miracles that Moses and the people couldn’t yet imagine.
So, if your obedience seems to have made life harder, don’t quit. God hears your cries, just as He heard Israel’s. Trust that He is writing a bigger story, one where the hardship will give way to deliverance. What looks like delay is actually preparation for redemption.
Prayer:
Father, help me to trust you when obedience makes life feel harder instead of easier. Remind me that you are working behind the scenes, even when I can’t see it. Strengthen my heart to keep believing, knowing that every trial is leading toward your redemption and deliverance. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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