Brick Walls...

 As I was quietly soaking in God's Words yesterday morning, I came to a passage I had read many times before. This time it really hit me. I circled it and wrote it down in my prayer journal. 

But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn so that I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the Land of Egypt. Exodus 7:3

Have you ever been in a situation that you really believe was God's will but there was nothing budging in the matter? You thought you heard Him clearly on what to do and suddenly you face a brick wall?

Sometimes those brick walls can be people. 

I remember in high school I dated a boy. We hit it off so very well and I thought for sure we would last forever. 

However, his feelings did not match mine. After about a year, I noticed a change as the relationship began to fall apart. 

I was heart broken. And confused. 

My prayer life suddenly jumped up a few thousand degrees as I asked God, "Why??"

Many many years down the road, I see why. 

God did not have him in mind for me. 

The boy's heart had turned away from me, and it was all for a purpose. 

A greater purpose was in store for me, even though at the time I could not see it. 

Just recently I had a mini, okay major, tantrum with God. 

I locked myself in my room and I told Him I was mad at Him. I let out every single angry thing that I felt He had done to disappoint me in a certain situation. 

I told Him that He was mean and that He was not good. 

It felt real satisfying to let it out. 

He knew I was feeling all of those things anyway, so I really let Him have it. 

For so long, I would have thought that it was unholy and unrighteous to talk to God that way. 

But, I have come to realize that intimacy creates honesty and openness. I knew He could handle my tantrum. He has heard it before. 

A few hours later, I apologized to Him. I told Him that I would trust Him even when I did not see a shred of evidence of good in that certain situation. 

Moses must have felt the same way. 

God had called to Moses from a burning bush for Heaven's sake! He gave Moses a clear and precise message. Moses was unsure and doubted that he was the one for the task because of his stuttering problem. 

God convinced Moses with these words..

The LORD said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Exodus 4:11

Moses finally gave in and accepted the task to free the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. 

However, Moses was met with a brick wall....Pharaoh. 

I mean, surely God could have made this a little easy for Moses, right??

Which leads us back here to this passage..

But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn so that I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the Land of Egypt. Exodus 7:3

This delay, this brick wall....had much purpose. 

A greater purpose than Moses could see in his limited human vision. 

The delay in deliverance caused many, many more Israelites to believe and to be convinced of God's Faithfulness and Goodness. 

Could the delay, the brick wall, the unresponsive heart that you are facing be all a part of God's Master plan for greater deliverance and miracles?

I certainly am starting to believe it. 

When we face these brick walls in our lives, let's learn to trust Him as we bang up against it. 

He is creating something greater on the other side of it...we will see soon enough. 

pressing into the bricks, 

jill

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