Between a rock and a hard place? You’ve been there. So have I. So was Moses. With one difference—he was responsible for a few million people.
You know the scene I’m talking about. Backs to the Red Sea. Facing Pharaoh’s army. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. And the folks he led into the desert are starting to form a lynch mob. Somebody’s looking for rope. A few more are looking for a tree. And a growing crowd is yelling for the leader to do something—anything. No one is happy.
With good reason. It seems they’re all alone. They’re not sure where God is, but they’re becoming convinced he’s not where they need him to be—where they are. Then, before the special effects, God pauses to give a brief three-point sermon. “Fear not. Stand still. See my salvation.”
We may not have been there and we have the advantage of knowing how the story ends. But we don’t have that benefit when it comes to our circumstances. When the words, “You’re fired!” aren’t confined to a TV show. When you’re asked to help carry a friend’s son’s casket. When the second doctor’s opinion is the same as the first. We can’t be certain how life will turn out or what will happen next. And we’re tempted, just as the Israelites were, to look for someone to blame.
The problem is that by that time who is at fault doesn’t really matter. What’s important isn’t so much why we’re under pressure, but how we respond to it.
Stress can reveal the worst in people. It can also bring out the best in us. Like popcorn. Under the influence of heat and pressure, all that’s good on the inside can be released so we reach our full potential.
You don’t need to panic. God said your trials aren’t unique; they’re common. As for an exit strategy, the impasse you face may lead to your future. Don’t forget, he’s been where you are. And he promised he’d stay with you until you are with him.
Want to learn more? Visit http://praisechapelkingman.podblaze.com to hear a sermon by Senior Pastor Howard Pennington or any of our pastors or guest speakers.
