Exodus 3:11-12
But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you.” (NLT)

Our devos this week are based on the Slo Mo teaching series we just wrapped up. You can watch the messages here. We’re looking at the life of Moses as a way to understand how to face difficulties in life. I would encourage you to take a moment to read all of Exodus chapter 3 before reading on. 

Moses’ encounter with and response to God, who took the form of a bush that was burning but not consumed, reveals so much about the way we, too, initially respond to challenges. As God spoke to Moses with directives on what He needed him to do, it caused Moses to reflect on some basic, but essential, questions: Who am I? Who is God? What if I fail? What about my weaknesses? Why isn’t this happening to someone else? Do those questions sound familiar? I have asked them over and over. As we’re faced with or going through uncertainty and hardship, like Moses, it forces us to try and understand our identity, God’s identity, our fears, and our insufficiencies. We also might get stuck trying to reconcile why me?

Scripture later tells the story of how Moses would speak boldly on behalf of God to both the Jewish people and to Egypt’s king. But we also know that Moses had struggles along the way. He didn’t do things perfectly. This should encourage us because we’ll imperfectly respond to difficulties as well. It comes down to whether or not we believe that the God who knows us better than ourselves is trustworthy. When we wrestle with the same questions Moses did, we’re not working through anything God isn’t already aware of. On the contrary, God will often use our very weaknesses to achieve His and our ultimate good.

Tuesday’s Reflection

Go back and look at the questions above. Whether you’re facing a particular challenge or not, they’re a good inventory to take as you begin each day. Bringing into alignment your weaknesses alongside God’s perfect strength and will could change the outcome of your day.