Separation Tactics that keep us from walking with Purpose

My reflection on Exodus 3 – 5 and our current lives

Moses is having an encounter with God and God tells him that He is going to use Moses to free the Israelite. Moses makes loads of excuses and tells God that he isn’t the man for the job. God, however, tells Moses that it isn’t Moses who will free the Israelites, but that God is with him and it will be God, the great I AM, who will be doing the work and using Moses as His vessel. Moses simply needs to trust, obey, and co-operate with God, but Moses doesn’t want that much more responsibility. He’s comfortable just coasting in the ease of what he’s currently doing, no boat rocking please, I’m good. Oh, how often I’ve thought that but God loves us too much to let us stay where we are, He wants to show us the fullness of His glory and His plans. 

Well after trying to change God’s mind a few times, Moses used multiple tactics and each time God is faithful to reassure Moses of what’s to come, so much as to give him a short play by play. Moses is so blinded and trapped by his doubts and insecurities that even when God Himself says, I’m with you, Moses still insists on having his brother, Aaron, come too so that Moses doesn’t have to do it alone (which God did cover already , you won’t be alone I’ll be with you) but we see how much Moses isn’t listening (boy, can I relate) 

This section of the story leaves me in awe so often. I see how faithful God is, even when Moses stirs God’s anger, God stays gentle and loving, and God doesn’t change His mind or His purpose. During the awe-inspiring actions of God, I also see myself in Moses. I feel the Holy Spirit stirring me to action quite often, but my doubts and insecurities keep me immovable or I ask someone else what they think before I agree to be obedient, to put it simply – delaying is disobedience. We’ll talk more about this distraction later but let’s get back to Moses. 

Fast forward a bit, God gives Moses the ability to do signs and wonders with Aaron, to get the support of the Israelite leaders. Moses shows them that God is indeed with him and they instantly begin to worship and praise God. What a relief for Moses right? 

So, with his new confidence he takes that feeling and goes to Pharaoh and says, “thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast in the wilderness”. I can imagine Moses being ready for Pharaoh to respond like the Israelite and agree right away (even though God said it wasn’t going to happen that way, I still think I d hold out hope for it to be easy and quick), as we know, that didn’t happen. 

Pharaoh says no. Not only does he say no, but because of Pharaoh’s pride and fear of the growing Israelite people, Pharaoh made life for the Israelites even harder. He increased their burden and separated them from one another to be able to accomplish the increase in labor. This caused strife between the people and Moses and between each other. 

With this tactic, Pharaoh stays in control and can prevent them from even thinking about a rebellion. With such a heavy load on them that they can’t see beyond their work and struggles and pains so that they won t do anything. I can’t help but see that exact same thing our lives. We aren’t a slave to Pharaoh but are a slave to something. Satan has us distracted by social media, TV, insecurities, to-do lists… We end up secluded, tired, and burdened, that standing up isn’t even something we consider. We can easily be held captive by our doubts and insecurities caused by our constant comparison through social media or through old thought patters, through comparison to others, movies, to anything that has us thinking our life isn’t as valuable as someone else’s. 

I’ve been talking with many people lately who are sick of social media and they delete the app from their phones and sent limitations on their usage. That’s a great place to start, however too often we’re still picking up some of kind distraction because we feel uncomfortable with life and our devices have become a source of security. With our phones, apps, TVs we never have to be alone or make friends, not the real and intimate ones, anyway. Yet I think we are all thinking, there has to be more to life than this. Guess what?! There is! 

No matter where we are, when we feel uncomfortable or afraid to meet/talk to anyone around us – we pick up our phones. Mostly because it is too uncomfortable to meet someone new, too uncomfortable to be alone, or in some worse situations, it s too uncomfortable to think and feel the emotions that creep in when you re not distracting yourself. Too often we allow technology to be our comforter because we don t know how to deal with the emotions, thoughts, vulnerabilities, risks, and possible rejection we ll face if we put ourselves out there . So, we choose numbness instead of risk. 

The thing is, we want comfort over pain, numbness and mindlessness over struggle. But we have to be willing to be comfortable with uncomfortable. We have to recognize the battles we face for what they really are – spiritual warfare! 

God is so much more interested in your character than He is in your comfort. Instead of falling back into mindless comfort we need to call God into our weaknesses, into our feelings of insecurities and vulnerabilities because He is close to the broken hearted and He comforts those who mourn. He is our source of comfort and our weapons against the thoughts that take us prisoner and distract us from walking out our purpose and identity in Christ. 

God has had plans for us before the formation of the world – by allowing technology to distract us we’re not stepping into that destiny. Are we living in our purpose or even on purpose? 

If you end every day feeling burdened and weary, that is not from God! We need to recognize that and step out of defeat as the overcomes we are in Christ 

Is our soul crying outlive life more alive!? Believing that being numb is better than living a life filled with risking yourself for God and to walk out your God given gifts is a sure way to end up feeling stifled, deflated, and unmotivated. God calls us to a life of boldness and confidence that is found in His power. God promises a life of abundance if we walk in step with Him, but He also promises that when we choose to walk with Him, we will run into a lot of struggles. (Psalm 34:19) Satan doesn’t want you to be successful, he’ll attack you any chance he can so that you stay in slavery to his lies. Ladies we have to embrace the uncomfortable in the pursuit of character. We have to co-operate with God in our sanctification and transformation. Leaving a life of slavery to sin to a godly character that shines the image of our creator. 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 

Ephesians 6:12

So, before you think I am anti-social media or technology I’d like to assure you I love hat Facebook and Instagram offer, I like Disney plus and Hallmark movies, but, when I enter into these areas I do it aware of my mood, my emotions and ask myself why am I turning to this right now? 

If I am going to TV or social media because I m stressed and burnt out, I m going to the wrong thing for m refilling, I need to open my bible or spend time in prayer instead. If I m turning to it because I m in the mood for a good laugh or want to catch up with some old friends, by all means I jump right into a sappy Hallmark movie or connect with some people I haven t talked to in a while. It s all about your thought life when you enter into anything in life. 

So, if we allow the content of technology to define our worth, to distract us and take us away from walking in the purpose that we were created for, then it needs to be reduced. You’re made for wonderful and amazing things and shouldn’t be letting anything hold you back!

Scripture to Support your Technology usage

Ephesian 2:10 – For we are His Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for Good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them 

Psalm 30:9 – What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

Ephesians 1:4- Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love. 

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.