Read Exodus 2:15-25

Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. (Exodus 2:23–25)

You’d better believe that Moses, though tucked away in a corner of that wasteland, heard the latest news from the travellers in caravans making their way up from Egypt through the Midian desert. When Moses learned the Hebrews were crying out, his heart must have turned over within him. But unlike before, he rested and relied upon God. He didn’t try to organize a rescue party. He didn’t slip back into Egypt as an assassin or saboteur. Not him! He’d learned that lesson.

Do you know who it is who keeps erecting all those unrealistic standards in your life? Do you know who keeps raising the bar beyond all hope of clearing it?

It’s you. You do. And so do I. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t. The psalmist tells us, “He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust.” We think we’re finished because of our failures, but God says, “No, you’re just getting started. Press on!”

Our problem isn't that we’ve failed. Our problem is that we haven’t failed enough. We haven’t been brought low enough to learn what God wants us to learn. We’re still trying to redeem Egypt single-handedly.

So, what are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to impress? Why don’t you step off that treadmill and just be yourself? Plead with the Spirit of God to prepare you, then use you, however He pleases, dark side and all. You'll be amazed how that takes the pressure off.

This very moment, you and I are the recipients of a gift from One who loves us just the way we are: warts, cracks, failures, and all. Since it is a gift, you might as well open your hands and receive it. Look, there—that’s your name on the tag, just underneath the ribbon.

The gift is called grace.

Taken from Great Days with the Great Lives by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson.