Deafness and Discouragement

Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Exodus 6:9 NIV

Have you ever had a bad day?  One of those days when nothing goes right, or when you feel totally unappreciated for the work you do.  And then somebody comes along and has some news that was supposed to make you happy, but you don’t respond well to that news.  You just felt out of it.  Yeah, me too.  I don’t know what it is about discouragement that keeps you in that place, but it can be powerful.  Discouragement can prevent you from hearing.  Even if you needed to hear what was spoken.

In the above passage, Moses was sent by God to the Israelites to give them some good news.  God was going to do something about their harsh treatment in Egypt and bring them out of slavery and take them to a land of promise.  He promised them that He would be their God and they would be His people. That meant that he was establishing a very special and intimate relationship with them. The creator of all the universe was talking specifically to them and making them a wonderful promise.  But the passage says that the Israelites could not hear the message because of their discouragement and harsh labor.  They were so used to being in a frustrating and discouraging place in life and working for no results that they couldn’t even appreciate the good news that they were about to be delivered. 

There are so many people in the world who are in this place.  If we transfer this passage to the new testament, then we can also say that Jesus came to announce some good news as well, but so many people didn’t hear him. He said that he came to set the captives free and to heal people’s wounds and to announce that the kingdom of God has come.  But only a few heard him.  And today, there are a lot of people who preach good news that freedom has already arrived but the people can’t hear.  They are working in jobs they hate, for money that is never enough, for people who don’t care.  They have been denied opportunities and have been overlooked for promotions and have been disappointed by people they thought cared about them.  They are discouraged and cannot hear good news.  The people that God calls to preach this good news are often just as discouraged because they don’t understand why people just can’t hear!  “Why won’t they do something?”, they might ask. “How can they just sit here in this miserable life and be ok with it?”  They are discouraged.  And even if God, Himself, sends them a message, they cannot hear it. 

This might sound like a hopeless blog posting, and certainly if I left it there at the hopeless part, it would be.  But since I don’t want anybody to only feel like gouging out their eyeballs after reading a post from me, I’m going to leave you with some hope.  God didn’t leave Israel there.  He sent Moses to Pharaoh, to tell him to let Israel go.  And eventually, he did.  But not before God demonstrated His power in many miracles so that the people would begin to come out of their discouragement.  Because, if they cannot hear, then they probably won’t leave.  Discouraged people need to see something different in order for them to even begin to receive good news. They need a demonstration of God’s power.  Not because they are bad people, but because they have had nothing but disappointment for a long time. And God is faithful enough to send someone to help demonstrate His power to bring you out.

I don’t know if you are a person who is discouraged or if you are the messenger sent to proclaim good news, but in either case, God is able to bring us all out of bondage.  Moses didn’t want to go, and throughout his journey was discouraged himself because of the mindset of the people. But discouragement is often a sign that we need to see something different in order for us to begin to move into what God has already promised us.  Maybe you need to see God’s hand moving in someone else’s life before you can even begin to believe that He can move in yours. But you can’t stay here.  God has promised to deliver His people from bondage and if you are enslaved by anything, you have to leave.  Maybe you need a Moses to guide you, but the Holy Spirit has also been sent to be your guide.  There may not be another person around to help you, but that is not an excuse.  God has probably already demonstrated His power in your life in the past. It is up to you to use that to pull you out of a discouraging place so that you can hear more. 

This is probably one of the reasons why scripture encourages us to encourage one another.  So let me encourage you.  You don’t have to stay here.  And your here can be anywhere: a job you hate; a relationship that is toxic; a financial condition; a mindset; wherever.  God has already promised to deliver you and the time is now.  But you have to get to a place where you can hear the good news. Watch for God to demonstrate His power around you. Maybe not in your life, but in the life of someone else.  Maybe you need to remember how God already brought you through something before and that can encourage you to the place where you can begin to hear what God is saying to you now.  But staying in a discouraged place will only lead to deafness. Don’t think that by wallowing in self-pity you will magically come out of it somehow. God knows you.  And God knows what you need.  And God is faithful to send what you need, even when you cannot hear. 

For all of the Moses‘ out there, remember that God will most likely use you to demonstrate His power to a discouraged people in order for them to get enough strength to begin to move themselves.  But you will not do these things in your own power.  It is the hand of God that will do it.  You may be the vessel, but God is steering the ship.  Don’t forget that. And it is up to all the Moses‘ out there to continue to move in faith so that people are constantly encouraged by what God is doing through you.  You have no idea how many people need to know that God is still in the business of deliverance.  And if we stop moving because the people don’t respond, then we make it about us and not about God.  If you need to, encourage yourself.  That makes it a lot easier to hear what good news God has for you. And God does have good news for you.