Why am I suffering?

Where did we last leave off with Moses?

-He was entering into Egypt. He was doing what God had called him to do. He did want to do it. He did not feel qualified to do it. But God had called him to do it.

Has God told you to do anything that you didn’t want to do?

-Tell the Mick Shelby Story.

Moses stands before Pharaoh and asks Pharaoh that he allow the Israelites to leave for three days so they can go worship God and Pharaoh says no. And makes it worse for the Israelites. The Israelites are building buildings and making their own bricks.

Pharaoh takes away their resources but doesn’t lower their quota trying to show all of Egypt and The Israelites themselves how lazy they are. and moses asks God.

Exodus 5:22

Exodus 5:22–23 ESV

Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”

Whenever you do what God has told you to do there is going to be resistance. There is going to be some hard times that come.

We see that again and again in the bible. God calls someone to do something and they have difficulties doing it. That has happened in my life.

When God tells you to do something or calls you to do something you always have this idea that because God has told you to do it that it is going to be easy. That there won’t be any hard times, but that is not the case.

Actually Jesus tells us the opposite.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus tells us here that in this life we will have trouble. That because we are Christians people will be against us. That the devil will be against us. But he also tells us not to be discouraged because he has overcome the world.

As Christians, Why do we still face hard times?

-Just think about this, the Israelites were God’s chosen people. But for 400 years they were slaves. God had a calling on them but they still lived through terrible times.

-Just because you walk through a difficult season in your life does not mean God doesn’t love you or that he has forgotten about you.

-God surely did not forget about the Israelites, that is why God sent Moses there.

-Talk about diabetes story.

-Somethings happen just because we lived in a sinful world. (Elaborate on this)

The world wasn’t meant to be like this.

-I have met with lots of Christians that walk through hard times but the one thing that everyone says is that God was still with them.

Think about this question to yourself, you don’t have to answer out loud.

What are some things you have suffered with?

-Could be parents divorce

-Feeling like your alone

-Loss of friendships

-Moving

-disappointment

-loss of a loved one

-depression

-relationship issues

King David was a man who dealt with a lot in his life. He knew what it was like to be poor and homeless, but he also knew what it was like to live as a king. At his old age he writes in the Bible this,

Psalm 37:25 ESV

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.