< Back

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” Exodus 5:23

Read: Exodus 5:22-23
Listen: Exodus 5

TODAY’S MESSAGE

Moses hits his breaking point. Pharaoh doesn’t let the people go and makes their work harder. The people cry out in anger, and Moses wonders why God even sent him. With deep disappointment, confusion and frustration—Moses doesn’t complain about God or whine to Aaron. He doesn’t pretend he’s fine. He also doesn’t quit and walk away from God or the work. Instead, Moses talks to God with gut-wrenching honesty. He cries out, “Why, Lord, why have you brought troubles on this people? Is this why you sent me?” (Exodus 5:22). His honesty is spiritually healthy and mature.

We can easily text friends about all that’s wrong when breaking points come. We can “fake it ‘til we make it” and pretend everything is fine. We might want to walk away from our faith. Instead, God invites us to bring our questions, confusions and darker emotions to him. We need not shutter our emotions OR let them run wild. We don’t have to quarantine part of our heart—because God can handle it all.

To get through a breaking point with a whole heart and an intact faith, we must first learn to turn to God in complete honesty. The Psalms provide great models for being honest with God, including asking whether God has forsaken us (Psalm 22:1).

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Assess how you react to disappointment and heartbreak, as well as the people and places you turn to. Confess any ways you’ve responded that were not healthy, and ask God to help you turn to him first in the future.

2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.

September is COMMUNITY. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.