Day 10
Scripture focus: Pharaoh's heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the Lord had predicted. So Pharaoh's heart remained hard. But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen just as the Lord had predicted. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard. He wouldn't listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted, But Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused to let the people go, Pharaoh refused to listen. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn. Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses. Exodus 7:14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:12, 33-35 NLT (This insanity continues in chapter ten, but I can't bear to keep repeating this sad tale of resistance. Read it if this doesn't convince you of the craziness of resistance.)
Blood instead of water; frogs; gnats; festering boils; flies; plague against the livestock; hail; locusts; darkness; death of firstborns - all these plagues were sent by God to get the Pharaoh's attention, and he stubbornly resisted.
DUI's; abortion; rehab; banishment from the family; rehab; bankruptcy; felony charges; another abortion; more rehab; jail; loss of driving privileges; more DUI's; ill-conceived marriage; divorce; loss of custody; rehab; another felony charge; more jail - sound familiar?
"We can endure so many losses and painful moments, yet still refuse help or even look at the possibility that someone, somewhere, might aid us. Somebody might know the way out of the deep hole we are in. But rather than look at the possibilities, we hang on to our right to remain the same, our right to live life as we choose, no matter how painful that life might become." (Arterburn, Reframe Your Life, p. 31)
I have a friend who is entering rehab - again. I think she is perhaps one of the bravest Princess Warriors I know. Suffering happens - and sometimes that suffering is the result of our poor choices. Stubbornly resistant people keep on keeping on. If we can shed this barrier to transformation, we can move through our suffering instead of relentlessly recycling it.
Cyclical suffering is unproductive (see Running In Circles, by Kim Engelman). Pharaoh was a guy who suffered cyclically. Please don't add your name to the infamous list of unproductive sufferers. God has big dreams for you; they may require you to suffer, but not in a cyclical fashion. If your story sounds like a broken record, stuck in suffering, you aren't suffering for a cause, you may be suffering because you're stubborn and resistant to God's desires for you - transformation.
All of us have a choice. We can suffer because of our shortcomings, or we can suffer as we do the hard work of renovation required to work through our defects of character and on to a restored life. Some of this is actually your choice!
Recommended reading: Genesis 23-24 in the morning; Proverbs 3 in the evening
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV
1 comment:
I cannot tell you how you have helped me and the people I am councilling by your profound wisdom in these daily devotionals.
The message of "cyclical" suffering has been a catyalist for a change in attitude for several "suffering" people that I am working with. The "lightbulb" for them has been turned on by this message.
Thank you !!!
God Bless,
Gerard M.
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