When Strength Gets in the Way

“One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and, seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” – Exodus 2:11-12
 
Before Moses led Israel through the Red Sea, before the plagues and the burning bush, he tried to step into his calling with his own two hands. And it failed. Miserably.
 
He had the right burden, but the wrong method. He saw the oppression of his people, and something in him snapped. He took justice into his own hands, killed the Egyptian, and buried the evidence. The next day, he realized his actions weren’t seen as noble or godly. They were reckless. The people didn’t rally around him. They rejected him. And Pharaoh wanted him dead.
 
This wasn’t just failure. It was humiliation. Moses went from the palace to the wilderness. From someone to no one. But that detour was necessary. Because before God could use Moses in His strength, He had to strip away Moses’ own.
 
Moses had to unlearn Egypt’s version of power. He had to lay down the pride that came with privilege, the confidence that came from being capable. He had to discover what it meant to be completely dependent on God. That didn’t happen in the palace. It happened in the desert.
 
We like to believe that God uses our gifts, our talents, our strength. And He does. But only after we surrender them. Real calling is birthed in humility, not ambition. God doesn’t need your resume. He wants your heart.
 
If you feel like you’ve failed or been sidelined, maybe it’s not punishment. Maybe it’s preparation. God’s greatest leaders are often formed in quiet, hidden seasons. Strength isn’t what qualifies you. Surrender is.
 
Let God empty you of self so He can fill you with purpose.