"Part of the Process"
EPISODE 86
Trust God's Power in Failure
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Failure isn't fun. But it's part of the learning process — continually leading us to try and try again. Throughout the Bible, we see how God teaches his people through trial and error. He knows what the successful result will be, but often he leads his people through failure first, helping them grow along the way.
The story of the ten plagues is an excellent example of this. Though God knew that nine of the plagues wouldn't convince Pharaoh to let his people go, he didn't immediately jump to the tenth. Why not? Because failure is part of the process!
Establishing Authority
"See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land" (Exo. 7:1-2).
God gave Moses the ability to perform incredible miracles. But many of these miracles left Pharaoh unconvinced. Though the people weren't set free, it doesn't mean they were a failure. At the very least, these signs showed that Moses was God's messenger. And his call to, "Let the people go!" grew more substantial with every passing plague.
Dealing with Stubbornness
"But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment" (Exo. 7:3-4).
Some people require more convincing. Like the straw that breaks the camel's back, one plague alone, even the final one, was not going to convince Pharaoh to listen to God. So, God gave him plenty of evidence. He turned the water to blood, sent frogs, gnats, flies, killed their livestock, inflicted them with boils, hail, locusts, and darkened the sky. Each of these slowly chipped away at Pharaoh's hard heart, until God finally struck down the firstborn in the land.
The People Will Know
"The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them" (Exo. 7:5).
Changing Pharaoh's mind wasn't God's goal. He ultimately wanted every Egyptian, and every Israelite, to see his power as Lord. And who could deny his authority after witnessing such amazing acts?
Were nine of the plagues a "failure?" Not at all! God knew what was necessary to accomplish his goal. And Moses trusted him enough to follow his lead. So, when you experience failures on your journey toward growth, will you see them as part of the process? Will you trust that God is in control and that he'll make all things work together for your good (Rom. 8:28)?
