Choose to Listen

"Therefore say to the children of Israel:

'I am the LORD;

I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,

I will rescue you from their bondage,

and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm

and with great judgments.

I will take you as My people,

and I will be your God.

Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God

who brings you out from under the burdens

of the Egyptians.

And I will bring you into the land which I swore

to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;

and I will give it to you as a heritage:

I am the LORD.'

So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel;

but they did not heed Moses,

because of their anguish of spirit

and cruel bondage."

Exodus 6:6-9 NKJV

The days on the calendar stretched before me like a never-ending chasm, separating me from my husband and one-year-old daughter.  The bond I shared with our first-born was so strong that I couldn't imagine spending one night away from her, let alone dozens as the doctors prescribed. 

As an active young mother who relished the fresh air of outdoors, I savored my long daily walks shared with my baby-daughter in her stroller as we explored the area within our neighborhood or on the path circling the nearby lake.   Now, laying in the hospital bed at barely 24 weeks-gestation awaiting the birth of our triplet daughters, I fell into a state of discouragement.  How could I stay confined to this bed, alienated from the ones I love for the remainder of my pregnancy?

It was hard for me to listen to the doctor's orders when I was in such a state of discouragement and bondage.  It is similar with me and God.  Sometimes I cannot even take in His great promises because of the condition of my heart.

Discouragement

Grains of sand gritted against his skin, mixing with the tears that streamed down his face.  Rolling over to shield his eyes from the unrelenting wind, the solitary man was careful to stay within the confines of the narrowly shaded area of the thorny bush under which he lay.  A groan escaped his lips as his exposed leg met the unforgiving hardness of a pointy rock.  "Why can't I just die?  I'm as good as dead, anyway.  I've had enough, Lord!"  (1 Kings 19:1-4)

Elijah hit a low-point in his life, knowing that the evil Jezebel was out to kill him.  Thinking all hope was gone, the formerly brazen and faithful prophet became depressed.

Like Elijah, it is easy for me to become disheartened when things seem impossible.  When I'm focused on the difficulty of the circumstances, I tend to fall into the depths of despair, making it nearly impossible for me to hear God speak of His great promises.

When my heart is in anguish, it is hard for me to listen to the mighty words of God.

Cruel Bondage

Day after day he labored for his master's benefit.  Despite no wrong-doing of his own, he found himself enslaved to another in a foreign country.  He worked hard, living up to the teaching of his father without knowing if he'd ever see him or the rest of his family again.  Joseph's life was not going the way he had imagined it would.  (Genesis 39)

It is hard to see the goodness of God when I'm stuck in a situation I didn't anticipate.  Perhaps its the sudden death of a loved one, the end of a marriage, or the onset of disease.  Whatever the situation which burdens me, it can distract me from the message of hope God speaks into my life through His uplifting promises.

When I feel bound by difficult circumstances or unexpected tragedies, it is hard for me to listen to the great promises of God.

Choose to Listen

Whether I am sinking into a pit of despair or under the weight of an overwhelming load, I can choose to listen to the Truth of God's powerful guarantees as given to His people as they labored under the heavy hand of the Egyptians.

God promises me freedom from that which weighs me down, giving me a chance to live wholeheartedly for Him. (Galatians 5:1)  He also gives me the assurance of redemption from the jaws of death through faith in Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:14)  In addition, the God of love promises my adoption into His family based on His compassion for me as His child. (1 John 3:1)  And most importantly, I am brought under His lordship as the sovereign Lord of all creation. 

When I choose to listen, I hear of the wonderful promises God offers to me.

Just as I had a hard time heeding the voice of my doctors when they kept me hospitalized for the good of my unborn triplets, discouragement and bondage can work against the message of  hope God has for me.  If, despite the difficulties, I choose to listen to what God has to say, I will find the Truth that will bring a full, meaningful life; salvation from certain death; inclusion into His family; and submission to a God who loves me.  This is the message that comes from intentionally preferring God in the midst of the hard times of life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will turn away from discouragement and bondage and toward God.

How do I let my feelings of despair keep me away from God and His promises?

When am I held back in life because I choose to let my circumstances get me down?