Four Things To Do When Facing Your Red Sea

I think everyone is familiar with the Biblical account of the crossing of the Red Sea. I'm sure it's been told in every Sunday School class, Christian school classroom, church auditorium and more. It's such a compelling picture of God's power and faithfulness, but what we often forget is that the Red Sea experience was not a one-time thing. In fact, I can guarantee that some of you are staring at a "Red Sea" right now.

In today's terminology, a "Red Sea" signifies any situation that looks impossible or hopeless. When we're facing a circumstance that seems impassible and are surrounded by the enemies named fear, worry and discouragement, we're confronted with a "Red Sea." And just like the children of Israel, we grow weary, confused and downright afraid.

What can we do? 

How can we possibly make it through? 

What's the point of even trying? 

Yes, those are Red Sea thoughts. Those ideas do not come from God but from fear and uncertainty. They are born in our hour of darkness, and in the blackness of the night, it's difficult to identify them for what they truly are—lies!

That's why it's a good idea to have a plan. The old saying goes, "To fail to plan is to plan to fail." Without truth to cling to in the dark times, we'll find it difficult to hold fast to what we know. We need a plan, and that's what we'll be discussing over the next few posts. I want to give you a list of four things to do when facing a "Red Sea," but first, let's look at our Scripture verses:

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. - Exodus 14:13-14 

We'll talk about our four-step plan over the next few days, but for now, I want to show you something about Moses' response to the people. First off, he wasn't harsh or rude even though they were complaining and acting like a bunch of babies (guilty!). No, he was calm and addressed their immediate need, which was to attend to their fear.

But what I love most about Moses' answer is his confidence. God had not explained to Moses how He would get them across the sea. Moses had no more information than the people had. He was as clueless about the escape plan as they were. So, how could he be so calm when everyone else erupted in chaos? What was the difference between his mindset and theirs? In short, he had a plan. Moses had seen and heard enough to know God could be trusted even in the darkest hour. So, he constructed a four-step plan to get him through when he was tempted to doubt, and it's the same plan he outlines here for the children of Israel.

Step one: Fear not. 

Step two: Be still. 

Step three: Watch carefully. 

Step four: Be quiet. 

Lord willing, we'll discuss each of these in detail over the next few posts. For now, allow me to offer you a word of encouragement. The Red Sea was not the end of the road for the children of Israel; it was merely a speed bump in their path. Your "Red Sea" is the same. Difficult? Yes. Terrifying? No doubt. Impossible? Not with God on your side, for with Him, anything is possible. Just ask Moses!