So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery. (Exodus 6:9 NLT)
Have you ever been so discouraged that hope seemed futile?
Biblically speaking, to be discouraged is to be disheartened, shattered, hindered or distressed. Discouragement causes us to think “this will never work out”, “this is just too difficult”, “this will never change” or “why even try?”
When burdensome circumstances come into our lives and linger on and on and on, discouragement naturally follows. This was certainly true for the people of Israel. Though the Lord sent Moses to proclaim that he was about to fulfill his promise to give them the Promised Land, their prolonged suffering had beaten down their spirits to the point of unbelief. It was as if they just didn’t have the will to hope anymore, after all they had suffered. The weight of their trials, born over a long period of time, left them susceptible to disillusionment and pessimism. They became cynical. Prolonged difficulty can do that to a person – even a person of faith.
What exactly did the Lord say to these beaten down, discouraged folks?
“You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them. Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God…. I am the Lord!’” (Exodus 6:5-8)
Don’t miss what God said. “You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people….” God sees it all. God hears it all. He knows your groans, your heartfelt cries, your burdened sighs. A large part of why burdensome circumstances cause discouragement – aside from the fact that they are just plain hard – is the lingering question that maybe God doesn’t see our situation. Perhaps God is too busy running the world to mess with our meager problems, burdens and disappointments.
But he wasn’t too busy to hear the groans of each weary, sweaty, overworked slave. He’s not too busy to hear your groans, either. Living in the light of this truth can bring hope and encouragement, even when circumstances seem unbearable.
Burdensome circumstances stem from two sources: things we can and should change and those we can’t or shouldn’t change. When we fail to take ownership for changing the things we can, we’re left feeling impotent. Sure, we may make excuses for why we don’t change – and the excuses might even make sense – but we’re still stuck in the mire of discouragement. Why? Because we know we should change, but don’t.
Yes, some things can and should be changed. But some things can’t or shouldn’t.
Consider the mom who cares for her handicapped child day after endless day. Think about the woman who opens her home to the aging parent who can no longer care for herself. Reflect on the gal who suffers from chronic, undiagnosed pain. Ask any number of people who struggle with burdensome circumstances every bit as heavy as the slavery the Israelites endured. They know first hand that some burdens can’t be altered, no matter how hard we try.
The psalmist was no stranger to discouraging, burdensome circumstances. David lived on the run, fleeing from cave to cave in order to survive the wicked antics of a jealous king, who wanted nothing more than to see David dead. Could David have changed his burdensome circumstance? Yes. In fact, his fellow soldiers encouraged it on occasion. “Come on, David. Kill him. This is your chance. Surely God has given Saul into your hands.” David could have changed his circumstance. But he didn’t. It wasn’t the right thing to do. So he simply had to wait for God’s will to be done God’s way. And wait he did – 14 years, in fact.
His prayers during his dark days of personal hardship provide some of the most heartfelt cries recorded in scripture. “Bend low, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.” (Psalm 86:1-3) “Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2). This beautiful description conjures up images of a caring parent who stoops down low in order to hear what his child longs to whisper in his ear.
We whisper the private stuff. The stuff not meant for everyone to hear – only those we trust. When we cry out to God in prayer, this is how our loving Father listens to us. To you. He bends low. God stoops down to hear your cries. He longs to lift you up out of the pit of burdensome, discouraging circumstances – even the ones you cannot or should not change.
And he longs to remind you of this one unalterable truth: You can be sure that I’ve heard your groans.
