Can You Say Goodbye to Egypt to See God's Plan?

"Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”

- Exodus 14:12

Change is hard. Whether good or bad, change causes anxiety and makes us fear the unknown. When change is taking place around us, we feel like our world is spinning out of control. We want to cling so tightly to the things we know but feel as though we are slowly losing our grip. So, we revert back to our old ways and do what feels comfortable.

I tried clinging tightly to my educational career. I dedicated over two decades of my life to the world of education. It was a place where I told God I wanted to retire. I was becoming complacent and comfortable, but God had another plan in mind.

Do you know what else feels comfortable? A warm, poopy diaper. Oh, it might feel good in the moment but if you let is linger, a poopy diaper stinks, and it's a mess to clean up! Kinda like my life when I run ahead of God.

The problem with complacency and comfort is that they can stunt our growth.

The Israelites could relate to sitting in warm, poopy, complacent, diapers. As Moses rescued them from the land of Egypt and led them to the Promised Land, they cried out to Moses saying they were better off as slaves living in bondage. Really? Slavery is better than living in the land God promised to Abraham? Let me back up.

At the end of Genesis, Joseph moved his family to a region located in the land of Egypt named Goshen to provide for them during a drought. The new pharaoh in town, who did not know Joseph or his family, forced the Israelites into slavery in hopes of decreasing the Israelite population. Exodus 1 tells us God's people were forced into hard labor without any sympathy from the Egyptians. They were dealt harsh labor building with brick and mortar. They cried out to God to save them. God heard their cries and would answer them in a big way.

He raised up a leader named Moses who would help free the Israelites from Pharaoh's cruel hand. Moses would begin this great exodus out of Egypt and into the land God promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3. Before entering the Promised Land, God allowed the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for forty years so they would learn to depend on Him and give up their false idols.

Sounds exciting, right? Well, except for the whole wilderness thing but this would be the generation that would help establish the country we call Israel today. But when they were without food and water in the desert, they began to question everything God was doing. They blamed Moses and even threatened to kill him. Their desire to return to slavery came about because the trek was hard, exhausting, and depressing.

Listen to the words Moses spoke to them. “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” - Exodus 12:13-14

My friend, it is the same for you today. God has something amazing in store for you. For 21 years, my ministry involved working in schools. God would move me out of education so I would have more time devoted to writing and speaking. I have spoken to hundreds of women about the love of Christ in this year alone, and I am currently writing my fifth book. These things were not possible with the amount of time I spent in school. Actually, before my son left for the Navy, he said I was only staying in education for the summers. He encouraged me to venture out and doing something I would enjoy. He was right!

Can I encourage you not to fear the unknown but to fully rely on God during this new beginning in your life? Trust Him that He knows what He is doing. Remind yourself that He has a good and perfect will He wants to complete in your life. Let me challenge you to stand still like Moses commanded the Israelites and know that He is God. He is in complete control.

Oh, and that poopy diaper! It's a little cold and shocking when it's first ripped off the backside, but it is so refreshing when it is changed. It's cleaner and smells a whole lot sweeter. Just like our spiritual walk with Jesus when we let go and let God.

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