“The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses, just as the Lord had said to Moses.” Exodus 9:12

In 1773 an Englishman named William Cowper penned a poem that would eventually become a beloved hymn that would be sung through the centuries, “God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. He plants His footsteps in the seas and rides up on the storm.” We don’t always understand why God does what He does, nor when he chooses to do it. I’m sure at the time Moses spent many a night wondering in the back of his mind why God hardened Pharaoh’s heart rather than softening it and letting his people go free sooner rather than later. We can all say the same thing about the circumstances in our lives. Every time I even start to question God’s timing, I think of that old Hymn, “God moves in mysterious ways, HIS WONDERS to perform.

Instant Gratification Is Usually Not Our Friend

The Children of Israel trapped in Egypt needed to learn who God was, and to trust Him with all their heart. Give us everything we want, when we want it, and we usually find ourselves mired in a soup of selfish and ungrateful behavior. God knows what He’s doing. Trust Him beyond what you think you need, and watch as He fills those empty holes in your life with His perfect plan for you.