“So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.” (Exodus 6:10).
Following Moses’ initial request for Pharaoh to let Israel go and serve God, Pharaoh responded by adding additional burdens to the children of Israel and increasing the hardship of their slavery unto him (Exodus 5:5-19). The Israelites blamed Moses for making them abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh (Exodus 5:20). Things were becoming worse for them not better since they had decided to follow Moses in seeking for Pharaoh to let them go. It is safe to say they were very discouraged.
God had encouraged both Moses and the people by letting them know He was going to fulfill His promises to give them the Promised Land. God said, “I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord." (Exodus 6:8-9). But as the verse above indicates the people were so discouraged by what had happened to them they refused to heed this promise of God.
Do we allow the trying circumstances of life to overwhelm us to the extent that our focus on our circumstances distracts us from listening to the many promises which God has made to us? Keep your eye on God today and cling to His precious promises. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)