God Is Working Through Your Unrelenting Circumstances (Here's What He Wants YOU To Do) | Kaci Nicole

Summary

In this video, the speaker explores how God may use unrelenting circumstances in our lives to guide us towards repentance and surrender, drawing on the story of Pharaoh and the ten plagues from the Book of Exodus. The video emphasizes that sometimes God allows pressures to build in our lives to break down our stubbornness and lead us to recognize His sovereignty. By understanding these biblical lessons, viewers are encouraged to reflect on how God might be working in their own lives through difficult situations.

Takeaways

• 📖 God uses unrelenting circumstances to shape us, often to keep us on the right path toward life and flourishing.
• 🙏 The purpose of these circumstances can vary, but one possibility is that God is pushing us to acknowledge His sovereignty and turn from our own ways.
• 🦠 The 10 plagues in Exodus are used as an example of how God applied pressure on Pharaoh to bring about repentance and surrender.
• 🐸 Pharaoh’s response to the plagues, such as asking Moses to remove the frogs but then hardening his heart again, illustrates human nature’s tendency to resist God’s will.
• 💔 God’s continued application of pressure, even after moments of respite, is sometimes necessary to break down our stubbornness and lead us to surrender.
• 🌧️ The repeated cycle of Pharaoh hardening his heart after each plague, despite temporary relief, underscores the importance of full repentance and surrender to God.
• 🔄 The final plague, the death of the firstborn, eventually broke Pharaoh’s will, leading him to let the Israelites go, illustrating the ultimate goal of God’s unrelenting circumstances.
• 🙌 The ultimate purpose of God’s actions is to lead us to recognize His power, submit to His will, and receive His blessings.
• 🌊 Even after surrender, as seen when Pharaoh pursued the Israelites, it’s crucial to remain steadfast in following God’s path, as deviating can lead to destruction.
• 💡 The speaker encourages reflection on personal areas where we might be resisting God’s will, suggesting that unrelenting circumstances may be God’s way of guiding us back to Him.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to explore how God might be using unrelenting circumstances in our lives to bring us to a place of repentance and surrender, using the story of the 10 plagues in Exodus as an example.

How does the speaker relate the story of the 10 plagues in Exodus to the theme of unrelenting circumstances?

The speaker relates the story of the 10 plagues in Exodus to unrelenting circumstances by illustrating how God used the plagues to pressure Pharaoh into letting the Israelites go, breaking down his will through persistent and difficult situations.

What does the speaker suggest God might be trying to achieve through difficult circumstances?

The speaker suggests that God might be trying to bring about repentance, surrender, and a recognition of His authority through difficult circumstances, as He did with Pharaoh during the 10 plagues.

Why does the speaker emphasize the concept of 'respite' in the context of the plagues?

The speaker emphasizes 'respite' to highlight how temporary relief from difficult circumstances can lead us to harden our hearts and return to our old ways, as Pharaoh did after each plague when the pressure was removed.

What lesson does the speaker draw from Pharaoh's repeated hardening of his heart after each plague?

The speaker draws the lesson that, like Pharaoh, people often revert to their old ways when the pressure of difficult circumstances is lifted, rather than fully surrendering to God's will.

How does the speaker connect personal experiences to the biblical narrative?

The speaker connects personal experiences to the biblical narrative by sharing how they see God using unrelenting circumstances in their own life to bring about change and alignment with His will, similar to how God worked in Pharaoh's life.

What is the significance of Pharaoh's final surrender and request for blessing in the story?

Pharaoh's final surrender and request for blessing signify his recognition of God's greater power and authority, achieved only after God broke down his resistance through persistent circumstances.

How does the speaker interpret the unrelenting pressure as a form of God's grace?

The speaker interprets unrelenting pressure as a form of God's grace because it can lead people to desperation, making them more willing to turn to God and follow His ways, which ultimately lead to life and flourishing.

What role does the Hillsdale College Exodus story class play in the video?

The Hillsdale College Exodus story class is mentioned as a supplemental resource that the speaker has been using to deepen their understanding of the book of Exodus and the 10 plagues, and they encourage viewers to enroll in the free course.

What does the speaker invite viewers to reflect on at the end of the video?

The speaker invites viewers to reflect on areas in their own lives where they may be stubbornly holding onto their own way, and to consider what changes God might be asking them to make through unrelenting circumstances.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Understanding God's Purpose Through Pressure

The speaker introduces the theme of God using pressure in our lives to guide us towards His purpose, even when circumstances feel overwhelming. Drawing from personal experience and scripture, they emphasize that God allows or causes challenges in our lives with specific intentions, often to lead us to a greater good. The discussion begins with a reference to the 10 plagues in Exodus, highlighting how God used these events to fulfill His plans.

05:00

🐸 The Plague of Frogs and Pharaoh's Hard Heart

The narrative moves to the second plague in Exodus: the plague of frogs. Despite the severity of the situation, Pharaoh's reaction illustrates human stubbornness. He asks Moses to plead with God for relief but shows hesitation, requesting it be done 'tomorrow' rather than immediately. The speaker interprets this as a sign of Pharaoh's reluctance to fully surrender to God's will. The emphasis is on God's intention to demonstrate His sovereignty through these plagues, showing that He is the one true God.

10:01

💡 God's Strategy in Unrelenting Circumstances

The focus shifts to the purpose behind God's actions. The speaker explains that the unrelenting circumstances in Pharaoh's life were meant to bring him to a point of repentance and surrender. This pattern of temporary relief followed by a return to stubbornness is noted as common in human nature. The narrative continues with the subsequent plagues, each designed to break down Pharaoh's resistance, highlighting how God uses challenges to push us towards transformation.

15:03

💔 Breaking Pharaoh's Will and the Lessons of the Plagues

In the final paragraphs, the speaker recounts the conclusion of the 10 plagues, culminating in Pharaoh's ultimate surrender after the death of the firstborns in Egypt. This moment is seen as a significant breaking point, where Pharaoh finally acknowledges God's power and asks for a blessing. The speaker ties this back to the broader theme of God's purpose in our lives, suggesting that sometimes we must be broken before we can fully submit to God's will. The story of the Exodus serves as a powerful example of how God's plans unfold through persistence and divine intervention.

Keywords

💡Unrelenting Circumstances

Unrelenting circumstances refer to the ongoing and persistent challenges or difficulties one might face in life. In the video, these circumstances are seen as a tool used by God to bring about personal growth, repentance, and surrender to His will. The speaker suggests that these tough situations are not random but have a divine purpose, as illustrated through the story of the plagues in Egypt.

💡Repentance

Repentance is the act of feeling remorse for past actions and making a conscious decision to turn away from sin and towards God. The video emphasizes that one of God's goals in allowing unrelenting circumstances is to lead individuals to repentance, as seen in Pharaoh's eventual acknowledgment of his wrongdoing after the plagues.

💡Surrender

Surrender, in the context of this video, refers to yielding one's own will to the will of God. It is portrayed as a necessary step in the journey of faith, where a person lets go of their own ways and fully embraces God's plan. The video suggests that through persistent challenges, God is working to bring individuals to a place of full surrender.

💡10 Plagues of Egypt

The 10 Plagues of Egypt are a series of calamities that God brought upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Each plague serves as an example of how God uses difficult circumstances to achieve His purpose. The video references these plagues to illustrate how God might use similar 'plagues' or challenges in our lives to bring about His will.

💡Hardened Heart

A hardened heart refers to a state of stubbornness or resistance to change, especially in relation to God's will. In the video, Pharaoh's repeated hardening of his heart is used as a cautionary example of how we might resist God's attempts to guide us through difficult circumstances. The video suggests that a hardened heart prevents us from seeing and accepting God's purpose.

💡God's Grace

God's grace is the unmerited favor and love that He bestows upon humanity. The video highlights that even in unrelenting circumstances, God's grace is at work, as He allows these challenges to lead us towards repentance and deeper reliance on Him. The concept of grace is central to understanding why God might allow suffering or difficulties in our lives.

💡Pharaoh

Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, serves as a key figure in the video, symbolizing resistance to God's will. His repeated refusal to release the Israelites, despite the plagues, is used to illustrate human stubbornness and the dangers of a hardened heart. Pharaoh's eventual surrender after the death of the firstborns exemplifies the breaking down of will through divine intervention.

💡Exodus

Exodus refers to the departure of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, which is a central theme in the video. The video draws parallels between the Israelites' journey and the personal spiritual journey of individuals, suggesting that just as God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He also guides us through our own trials towards spiritual freedom and fulfillment.

💡God's Purpose

God's purpose refers to the divine plan that God has for individuals and the world. In the video, it is emphasized that every circumstance, especially the challenging ones, has a purpose ordained by God. The video encourages viewers to seek out and understand God's purpose in their lives, especially when faced with trials.

💡Respite

Respite is a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant. In the video, respite is discussed as a temporary break from the pressure of unrelenting circumstances. The speaker warns that during times of respite, there is a temptation to revert to old ways, which is why ongoing challenges may be necessary for true spiritual growth and surrender.

Highlights

God sometimes allows unrelenting circumstances to persist to guide individuals towards life and flourishing, as His way leads to these outcomes.

The purpose behind unrelenting circumstances could be to bring about repentance and surrender to God's will.

The 10 plagues in Exodus demonstrate how God used these circumstances to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites, showcasing God's power and purpose.

Pharaoh's heart remained hardened after each plague, reflecting the human tendency to resist surrendering to God's will despite clear signs.

The removal of pressure, as seen with Pharaoh, can lead to a temporary relief but often results in returning to one's old ways rather than fully surrendering to God.

The story of the 10 plagues illustrates that God is in control and uses circumstances to reveal His power and identity as the true God.

God's purpose in unrelenting circumstances is sometimes to break down a person's will, leading to a deeper recognition of God's sovereignty.

Moses' interaction with Pharaoh during the plagues shows that God's timing and responses are purposeful, aiming to demonstrate His uniqueness as the one true God.

The 10th plague, which led to the death of the firstborn in Egypt, ultimately broke Pharaoh's will, leading to the Israelites' release.

Pharaoh's request for Moses to bless him after the final plague signifies his acknowledgment of God's greater power.

The hardening of Pharaoh's heart, even after experiencing God's power, exemplifies human stubbornness and resistance to divine intervention.

God's use of unrelenting circumstances serves as a means to bring people to a place of repentance and alignment with His will.

The Israelites' eventual Exodus from Egypt was made possible by God's persistent intervention through the plagues.

Pharaoh's repeated change of heart, even after releasing the Israelites, highlights the ongoing struggle between human will and divine purpose.

God's ultimate goal in allowing hardships is to bring individuals closer to Him, ensuring they recognize His sovereignty and goodness.

Transcripts

so sometimes in his grace God keeps the

pressure up because he knows that if

left to our own way that our way will

not lead to life or to flourishing but

his way will so what is God's purpose in

these unrelenting circumstances what is

he trying to bring about the answer is

hello and welcome back to my channel in

today's video we're talking about how

God is working through your unrelenting

circumstances I don't know if you've

ever been in a place in your life where

it feels like it is just one thing after

another after another after another and

you just cannot catch a break well

whether God is causing whatever

circumstances are happening in your life

or whether he's merely allowing those

circumstances we see very clearly in

Scripture that God always has a purpose

in whatever circumstances he is allowing

you to encounter and that purpose could

be all sorts of different things

depending on what you're going through

what's happening in your life what God

is doing but one possibility we see very

clearly in scripture as well is that it

could be that God is allowing the

pressure to build up and build up and

build build build and the things that

are happening to you to bring about one

very specific purpose and this is

actually something I think that I see

him doing in my own life right now so in

today's video we're going to talk about

that one very specific purpose share

what it is because if this is what God

is trying to accomplish in your life

then there's something that he wants you

to do and he won't let up until this

thing happens for today's video we're

going to be looking at the 10 plagues in

Exodus so if you're familiar the

Israelites were slaves in Egypt and

before they can begin their Exodus out

of Egypt God uses these 10 different

plagues to bring pharaoh to a place

where he is willing to let the

Israelites go because he didn't want to

let them go he wanted to keep them he

wanted to keep them as slaves and so if

you have time I encourage you to read

the entire story of the 10 plagues it's

found in Exodus chapters

7-2 but as for today's video we're going

to be kind of reading different parts

throughout this story and then zooming

in specifically to look at something

that happens in Exodus chapter 8 as you

may have seen I've been doing a lot of

different Bible studies going through

the book of Exodus lately which I'll

link all of them in a playlist up here

if you want to go back and watch any of

them but as I've been going through the

book of Exodus I've been highlighting

the free Exodus story class I took

through Hillsdale College who I want to

give a huge thank you to for sponsoring

today's video I absolutely love getting

to share this resource with you guys

because I know that so many of you have

benefited not just from taking the exit

story class but so many of their other

classes as well whether it be their

Genesis story class or their one on King

David or their CS Lewis on Christianity

class they have so many incredible

classes on different theological topics

that help you know God's word more and

they also have classes on a ton of other

subjects as well fun fact my husband

Tyler recently created a hill stale

college class and every single night as

he's been doing the dishes he's been

watching through one of their classes

most recently he did one on the Roman

Empire and I cannot tell you how many

times he has said to me how cool it is

and honestly crazy that they have so

many free incredible educational classes

just available to anybody but what a

blessing that is one of my favorite

things I learned from The Exodus story

class and specifically from the two

lectures in that class that focused on

the 10 plagues is how God's power is

displayed in these plagues he brings

about not only through the plagues

themselves but in the fact that he

brings them upon the Egyptians to

accomplish his purpose in them while

shielding the Israel from these things

as well I highly recommend this class as

a supplemental resource if you are

wanting to dig even deeper into the book

of Exodus so if you want to join me in

taking the free Exodus story class or

any of the other free Hillsdale College

online classes you can go right now to

hillsdale.edu casy to enroll once again

it's completely free super easy to get

started and you can go at your own pace

which honestly is so convenient with how

busy life can be so once again that is

hillsdale.edu for /cy to enroll that is

hillsdale.edu SLC casy I'm also going to

have that link down in the description

as well now before we get into it if you

haven't already please be sure to

subscribe to my channel I make Christian

faith and lifestyle content aimed at

encouraging you to know God more through

his word and to grow in his likeness and

I would love to have you here and then

give this video a thumbs up if you find

it helpful or encouraging so God is

working through your unrelenting

circumstances like I said we're going to

be focusing specifically on on one of

the plagues and something that happens

in Exodus 8 but I want to walk through

all the plagues just so we kind of have

the context of the whole story so the

first plague is when Moses turns the

water in the Nile River to blood and so

as a result of this all the fish in the

Nile died and the Nile sank and nobody

could drink from it because it was no

longer water it was blood and so when

this first plague happens um it says

that Pharaoh's magicians were able to

perform the same thing they were able to

turn water to blood as well and so

Exodus 7:22 says so Pharaoh's heart

remained hardened and he would not

listen to them as the Lord had said God

brings upon this first circumstance to

sort of put pressure on Pharaoh but

Pharaoh's heart remains hardened and he

doesn't do anything the next plague we

see is a plague of frogs where the land

is just overtaken with frogs here's what

it says in Exodus 8: 8-18

then Pharaoh Called Moses and Aaron and

said plead with the Lord to take away

the frogs from me and my people and I

will let the people go to sacrifice to

the Lord Moses said to Pharaoh be

pleased to command me when I am to plead

for you and for your servants and for

your people that the frogs be cut off

from you and your houses and be left

only in the Nile and he said tomorrow

Moses said be it as you say so that you

may know that there is no one like the

Lord our God God the frogs shall go away

from you and your houses and your

servants and your people they shall be

left only in the Nile so Moses and Aaron

went out from pharaoh and Moses cried to

the Lord about the frogs as he had

agreed with pharaoh and the Lord did

according to the word of Moses the frogs

died out in the houses the courtyards

and the fields and they gathered them

together in heaps and the land stin but

when Pharaoh saw that there was a

respite he hardened his heart and would

not listen to them as the Lord had said

so God brings upon this second

circumstance to put pressure on pharaoh

to get him to change his ways and it

says that Pharaoh says to Moses plead to

God for me to remove this circumstance

and I think it's interesting because

Moses basically says okay tell me when

you would like me to plead with God on

your behalf and Pharaoh says tomorrow

and I feel like that's kind of our first

clue because if Pharaoh was truly

desperate enough he would say right now

please I'm willing to turn just have God

change it but I think it's interesting

that he says tomorrow but Moses says you

know what that's fine tomorrow I will

plead with God and God removes all the

frogs and it's interesting too because

it says here in the middle of this

passage Moses says be it so you say so

that you may know that there is no one

like the Lord Our God so the whole

purpose of these signs in God both

bringing these plagues and in taking

them away is so that Pharaoh would know

that there is no one like the Lord Our

God when we are holding tightly to doing

things our own way when we know that God

is calling us to do things his way even

if his way may seem counterintuitive or

when we are holding and clinging tightly

to our sin even though we know that God

is calling us to turn from it it could

very well be that God is using

unrelenting circumstances in our lives

to get us to know that he is God it's

easy for us to think that we are Gods

over our own lives but God wants us to

know that he is the true God the only

God that he is more powerful he is in

control and that he knows best so

Pharaoh feels the pressure of this

plague it begins to break down his will

his way which is to hold on to the

Israelites to not let them go to not let

them worship God and he asks Moses to

plead with God to remove the plague to

remove the unrelenting circumstance and

God listens to Pharaoh but look what

happens when he does exodus 8:15 but

when Pharaoh saw that there was a respit

he hardened his heart and would not

listen to them as the Lord had said I

want to focus in on that word there

respit the definition of it is a short

period of rest or relief from something

difficult or unpleasant isn't that what

we all long for when it feels like life

just will not give us a break when it

feels like there is just one difficult

circumstance after another we long for a

respit we long for relief from these

unrelenting circumstances I want to give

the disclaimer here that difficult

circumstances don't always mean that

we're doing something wrong or that God

is punishing us I have an entire video

talking about how sometimes the

difficulty is really pruning and it

isn't a punishment but rather it's a

preparation for more and so difficult

circumstances don't always mean we're

doing something wrong but I think we

know when it's something different we

know when we are holding stubbornly to

our own way in a certain situation and

God is asking us to turn from it in

these circumstances sometimes that un

relenting pressure is actually God's

grace because when we feel that pressure

we are desperate for God and we'll do

anything we'll be willing to let go of

our own way but it is in that moment of

respit in that moment of relief where we

no longer feel that pressure so strongly

we no longer feel our desperate need for

God so strongly that we start to move

back to doing it our own way so

sometimes in his grace God keeps the

pressure up because he knows that if

left to our own way that our way will

not lead to to life or to flourishing

but his way will so what is God's

purpose in these unrelenting

circumstances what is he trying to bring

about the answer is he's trying to bring

pharaoh to a place of repentance and

surrender and I think we see so clearly

human nature here in this section that

sometimes when that pressure is removed

when things are easy when we don't feel

like we need God so desperately as we

did before that's when we turn back to

our own way and God wants to keep us

from that moving on now to the the third

plague is gnats so gnats just fill the

land and the text tells us that

Pharaoh's heart is hardened Exodus 819

says but Pharaoh's heart was hardened

and he would not listen to them as the

Lord had said next we have the fourth

plague which is flies and here as the

Flies are filling the land it says that

Pharaoh asks them again to plead with

God God takes away the Flies and it says

in Exodus 8:31 that not one fly remains

so God is gracious in removing this

unrelenting circumstance but then in

Exodus 8:32 the very next verse it says

but Pharaoh hardened his heart this time

also and did not let the people go

plague five the Egyptian livestock died

and it says here that Pharaoh's heart

remained hard then the sixth plague is

boils they just get broken out and

covered with boils and it says here that

God again hardened the heart of pharaoh

next we have the seventh plague which is

hail and Pharaoh here says I have sinned

the Lord is right and I am wrong so

again plead with the Lord to take this

away to take the hail away this

unrelenting circumstance because I'm

feeling the pressure and God did God

removed the hail then in Exodus 9:34 it

says but when Pharaoh saw that the rain

and the hail and the Thunder had ceased

he sinned yet again and hardened his

heart he and his servants so we see a

pattern here very much so and then we

have have the eighth plague which are

locusts the land is filled with locusts

they bring destruction and Pharaoh once

again says I have sinned just this one

time again forgive my sin and plead with

God to remove these locusts to remove

this circumstance once again God removes

the locusts God removes the circumstance

but then in Exodus 10:20 it says but the

Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he did

not let the people of Israel go now on

to the n th plague is Darkness here

Pharaoh has kind of like a compromise

half willing to let go of his own way

response he says you and your children

may go but leave the animals and Moses

says but we need the animals in order to

offer up sacrifices to the Lord Our God

so we can't just have this partial

compromise here we have to have a full

surrender we have to have a full

bringing to a place of repentance and

Pharaoh did not like these terms he

didn't want them to take the animals as

well and so he would not let them go and

once again his heart is hardened this

now brings us to the 10th plague now

before the 10th plague happens the 10th

plague is first threatened and that is

that every firstborn should die here is

where the Passover is initiated where

the Israelites held this special meal

and they were instructed to have this

Passover Lamb whose blood they would

spread on the doorposts of their home so

that they would be protected so that

their firstborn wouldn't die but but

even as this 10th plague is threatened

the text tells us that Pharaoh's heart

is hardened and he still would not let

the people go even knowing what was

going to be happening and you would just

think that after all these plagues he

would realize like this plague is really

about to happen too which you know how

often are our own Hearts just as

hardened yet he still chooses to not let

the people go here's what it says Exodus

12: 29-32 at midnight the Lord struck

down all the firstborn in the land of

Egypt Egypt from the firstborn of

pharaoh who sat on his throne to the

firstborn of the captive who was in the

dungeon and all the firstborn of the

livestock and Pharaoh rose up in the

night he and all his servants and all

the Egyptians and there was a great cry

in Egypt for there was not a house where

someone was not dead then he summoned

Moses and Aaron by night and said up go

out from among my people both you and

the people of Israel and go serve the

Lord as you have said take your flocks

and your herds as you have said and be

gone and bless me also so finally

Pharaoh's will through these

circumstances his strong will that he is

holding on to that will is broken down

he is finally brought to this place of

repentance and surrender where he lets

go of his own way and he says you know

what go take your people and leave and

then I want you to notice that final

phrase as well where Pharaoh says go but

then he says and bless me also a note on

this from the end during word commentary

says this shows that now Pharaoh knew

who the Lord was The God Who was greater

than pharaoh and whom Pharaoh must seek

for blessing Pharaoh only came to this

knowledge through being broken sometimes

God allows circumstance after

circumstance after circumstance to

happen in our lives to break down our

will and our way that we are trying to

hold so tightly to so that we may know

that he is God that he is greater and so

that we can finally surrender our will

to his sometimes he must allow us to be

broken first so that we can be rebuilt

in him so this is what happens in

Pharaoh's heart this is what God was

accomplishing and the purpose he was

bringing about through all these

unrelenting circumstances where Pharaoh

is now finally brought to this place

where he is willing to let God's people

go and this is what allows The Exodus to

begin to happen where God's people can

begin to leave Egypt but as you know

this is still not the end of the story

because after all of this Pharaoh

changes his mind yet again and after

God's people have beg to leave Egypt

Pharaoh decides to pursue God's people

and God then destroys pharaoh and his

army in the Red Sea as they are pursuing

the Israelites the Israelites pass

through on dry ground and the Sea

overtakes the Egyptians I unpack this

part of the story more in this video up

here talking about how God brought you

to it it he will bring you through that

so I'll have that linked above if you

want to check it out so sometimes God

uses the unrelenting circumstances in

our lives to break down our will and to

bring us to a place of repentance and

surrender where we can finally yield our

will and our way to his because his is

best his is perfect even when we cannot

see it I would love to hear from you

down in the comments where are you

stubbornly trying to hold on to your own

way or what change might God be asking

to make through unrelenting

circumstances in your life I mentioned

how I can totally see God doing this in

my own life right now so I'm going to

share how he is doing that down in a

pinned comment below and I look forward

to reading through your responses as

well reminder that if you want to join

me and taking the Exodus story class

with Hillsdale College for free to dig

even more into this incredible book you

can go right now to hillsdale.edu casy

to enroll thank you so much for being

here in this video I hope that it was

encouraging to you and I will see you in

my next one bye

[Music]