“²¹And the Lord said to Moses, ‘When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.’” – Exodus 4:21 (ESV)

What is this, the LORD sends Moses to work for Him. Tells him exactly what to say and what to do. And for his trouble, the LORD hardens the heart of Pharaoh. Obeying the LORD is not where the work ends, there is more to it.

The LORD told Moses that just telling Pharaoh in His name was not going to work. Not because it would not, but because the LORD was going to make it not work. Isn’t this just a bit contrary to what we might believe to come from the LORD. Aren’t we to obey the LORD and in doing so, He will take care of us? Why then would the LORD have us do something that would not work, shouldn’t it be that the LORD wants that things carried out in His name be done and take care of that which He intends? Well, yes, but there is more to it.

This is of course one of those things that makes it difficult for me. The LORD has something for me to do, I do it, and yet the result does not come out as planned. Why would the LORD do such a thing?

He is not doing it to get the result “we” have planned. There is a greater result that He is working toward, and I am just one part of the plan to get to that result. The LORD is working on His plan, to get His result, not mine.

So, with this in mind, I go back to verse 21 as above. Moses was to do the work of the LORD and tell Pharaoh to let the people go, and on the LORD’s design, it would not happen. It could have happened, if it were of God’s design, but it was not and did not. The LORD had something greater in mind and this was only part of the design.

Notice how this all plays out. The LORD has a task for us, we take care of that task and yet the result is not there that we expected. We are to continue on with the tasks that God has for us, and know that He will get the result He is working toward, and that result may not come for some time, or be different than we expected.

It is not that the LORD is making things difficult, He is having them play out just as He designed. I have to look to the LORD and know that His wisdom will produce the result He wants and my role is to do the work He has for me. The work He has for me is the work He has for me. The result of that work is not for me, just the work itself. It may be difficult and the result may not be felt by me, but it is the work the LORD has for me and that is where I have to be focused.

I look at my bible study and writing each morning. Where is the result? How many have I reached? Is it touching people the way the LORD intended? Is there more that I should be doing? How do I get more responses, and know that I am reaching the people to make a difference in their lives? Why is it that I don’t see more results? Is there an easier way to get things done? Why, Why, Why? Well, this is the work the LORD has for me and I have to know that it is the work, not the result that is my responsibility. He will get the result that He has planned. He is not making it difficult, He is simply leading me to follow Him.

What is your thoughts on the tasks that God has for you? Are you looking at them to get a specific result and thinking why so difficult to get that result? What if you saw them as part of God’s plan and those tasks are not difficult, but just designed to get a result that is just part of that plan?