Thursday, February 28, 2008

Lessons from Exodus III

Lessons from Exodus III

Pain and suffering have a way of making us self-focused or at least strongly tempted to have tunnel-vision. It seems that when we are hurting, we have a difficult time thinking beyond the 4 walls of our own pain. Everything is filtered through our personal grid of self.
I remember a dozen or so years ago when I was going through a season of anxiety and depression, I was at a Labor Day picnic with our Sunday school class. There was much activity going on around me, kids playing, horseback rides, games, food, friends chatting, and lots of laughter, but honestly very little of it penetrated my raw emotions of sadness and desperation. I was standing having a conversation with one of my friends and I literally had to keep reminding myself to listen, focus on her words, look her in the eye, and smile. What was normally so natural for me had required conscious effort. I was more consumed with my own hurt heart and pain so there was little time or energy left for others.
Suffering tends to limit our perspective to how something will relate to us personally. We fail to see the big picture; we fail to see beyond ourselves which further intensifies our suffering.
When suffering becomes all about us, only about us, we experience hopelessness and will be prone to return to our own personal Egypt. However, when we purposefully seek a grander perspective, God's perspective, suddenly our suffering has purpose and meaning. No, our suffering doesn't disappear but it eases our pain to know God is at work even in the midst of and through our suffering.

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them." Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as the LORD commanded them, so they did. Exodus 7:3-6

Now the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD." Exodus 10:1-2

Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so...And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." Exodus 14:4, 17-18

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD... that you may tell in the hearing of you son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt... that you may know that I am the LORD...I will gain honor over Pharaoh.

So how's your picture? Are you limited by your own perspective or are you asking God to expand your perspective so that you can see and experience Him at work, in and through you, in the midst of suffering?

May God show Himself mighty in your life today so you get a taste of the bigger picture.

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries at America's KESWICK, Biblical Counselor, Conference and retreat speaker, Victory Call editor, wife, mother, grandmother, and nut and not necessarily in that order.

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