Not the way I planned it

Moses and Aaron received instructions direct from God. They were to go to Pharaoh and demand that Israel be set free. So they did that (Ex 5:1).

Pharaoh's response was, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go" (v 2).

Not only did Pharaoh not let Israel go. He made life miserable for them. He accused them of having too much time. He ordered that the slaves gather their own straw for making bricks. And the quota of bricks would not be reduced.

The slaves were beaten because they didn't meet quota.

The Israelites turned against Moses and Aaron for being the cause of the increased hardship.

Moses and Aaron had done what God had told them to do. Yet the results were not as they expected. Things got worse, not better.

God's answer, "Sit back and watch what I am going to do! You'll see how great I am when Pharaoh drives you out of Egypt!" - my paraphrase of 6:1.

Moses and Aaron had obeyed but not gotten the results that they anticipated. They followed the instructions, but life got tougher.

Why?

Because God had greater plans. His plan was to free Israel. That had not changed.

But the way He was going to do it was different than what Moses and Aaron anticipated.

God tells us each day to do the right thing. To live a holy life. To tell the truth. To confess sin. To resist temptation.

But even when we do those things, life might get harder, not easier.

That doesn't mean that God isn't working. Because God is always working.

God will fulfill His plan in His way at His time.

Trust and Obey.