What if what God tells you to do doesn't work?

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What do you do when what God tells you to do doesn't work? In the story of Moses, we see God appear to him in a burning bush, give Moses a command to go and help set God's people free, gives him signs to prove that God is with them. It seems like it's working because Moses appears to God's people, shows them the signs of God, and now they're also on board. But, when Moses goes to the Egyptian Pharaoh and tells him, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'Let my people go.'" Pharaoh says, "Who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go." And after they go back and forth for a little bit, instead getting set free, life got even harder for them. Pharaoh increased the workload of God's people because of what Moses said, making everybody angry with them. They said to Moses, "May the Lord look on you and judge you. You've made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us." They're thinking, "We're going to die now because of you." So, what do you do when what God asked you to do isn't working? Well, Moses, now obviously upset, goes back to God and says, "Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." Now, remember, when God first asked him to do this in the burning bush, Moses didn't want to do this. But, God had given him a lot of assurances, gave him signs and wonders to confirm it, and even told Moses this was going to happen, saying, "I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So, I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go." God let Moses know there would be some resistance, which why wouldn't there be resistance when we're doing things for God? There's an enemy out there trying to kill, steal, and destroy. But again, what do we do when what we're trying to do for God doesn't seem to be working? I think Moses models the answer really well because highly emotional, highly doubtful, he goes back to God and brings it to him directly. And in response, God reminds him of what he said to Moses in the burning bush. "Now, you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. Because of my mighty hand, he will drive them out of this country." And then specifically gives him direction to do right now. He said, "Therefore, say to the Israelites, 'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.'" Moses obeys again, tells the Israelites what God said, and it says they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. But, then God gives them the next step. Go tell Pharaoh, king of the Egyptians, to let the Israelites go out of this country. But, still not seeing it working, he goes back to God again and shares his honest thoughts. "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?" Now, am I saying that we need to be like Moses and doubt what God is calling us to do? No. But, when we do, we can model his response and bring it back to God and be honest. Eventually, Moses got to see that God did everything he said he would, but it took that continual rhythm of stepping in obedience, processing with God, stepping in obedience, processing with God. So, what do we do when what God's telling us to do doesn't seem to be working? We can process it with God, take the next step he gives us, and process it with God again. I'd love to know, friends, what step is God calling you to take? God bless.