November 21st Devotion

Misunderstood – Chuck Swindoll

Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” Then the LORD told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!” (Exodus 5:22-6:1)

A bad day just got worse! Moses couldn't believe it. Disappointment turned to disillusionment. Where had he gone wrong? He had taken God at His word, stood before Pharaoh, and repeated—almost word perfectly—what God had told him to say. He said the right words, at the right time, to the right person, spoken in the right way. And now the wheels seemed to be falling off the wagon. The very people he had longed to help (for over forty years) were now cursing him for increasing their hardships and anguish. "Why did you come, Moses? It was bad enough before you showed up. Now, our lives are in danger."

Being misunderstood hurts all the way to the bone. Maybe you've felt that sting recently. You did the right things in the right way but someone misjudged you, reading motives into your acts or words that you never intended. And now you live under that cloud, unable to change the minds of those who have turned against you.

Moses came before the Lord asking those two questions most of us ask when we find ourselves under intolerable pressure: Why? and How? We begin by saying, "Why? Why me? Why now? Why this?" And then we ask, "How? How in the world am I going to get through this or out of that?"

As one who has also spoken those words numerous times in my life's journey, I find myself very encouraged by how the Lord responded to Moses. He didn't say, "Back off, Moses. You should be ashamed of yourself." I love it that the Lord never slaps you or shames you when you come to Him. He never pushes you away when you bring an aching, honest question that cries out for an answer.

Isn't that great of God? Instead of criticizing Moses for asking "Why?" the Lord says, "Just you wait, son. Pharaoh's been reading too many of his own press clippings. He thinks he's a god, but there is only one God, and he'll find that out soon enough. For a brief period it will seem to you that he's in charge. But don't kid yourself, Moses. I alone am the Lord."