In one of my readings the other day, I realized that when the Israelites found themselves trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, anxiety–actually panic–set in. God’s chosen nation was blinded by fear in this situation. From their human perspective, there was no way out. They were stuck between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.” So they cried out in terror, accusing Moses of leading them to their deaths. They even had the audacity to say they were better off being enslaved in Egypt!

And yet, I can totally relate to this distorted line of thinking. You’re overtaken by concern for your own life, so you think it would help to complain or blame shift. Like “oh no I’m going to die now, maybe some last minute negativity will help.” I remember one bumpy plane ride that seemed life-threatening to me (it wasn’t), so I became uncharacteristically irritable and impatient. “I knew I should’ve just stayed home!” It’s laughable now but I’ve been guilty of the same wild rationale the Israelites followed.

But in their moment of desperation, Moses spoke words that are both challenging and comforting to God’s people. Like a true shepherd, he brought rebuke and reassurance when he proclaimed: “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14)

“Silent” here, in Hebrew, conveys holding one’s peace and not taking action, which requires massive trust. That’s counterintuitive when crippling fear takes over. The Israelites couldn’t see beyond their immediate crisis. Without eyes of faith, they couldn’t comprehend that God was already working a miraculous escape for them. They didn’t grasp that with a command, He would part the waters, creating a path through the sea and delivering them from their enemies. 

In the same way, God can easily make a way in our lives when we see no relief. When palpable terror comes over us, He’s unafraid and undeterred. 

I remember a time when I felt backed into a corner—overwhelmed by consequences and uncertainty. Every option seemed blocked and my prayers were desperate pleas for help. It was in that season that God showed me He was already at work, despite my fear and frustration. Doors eventually opened that I had never anticipated. Solutions appeared when I least expected them. I didn’t need to fight my way through—I needed to trust that God would fight for me.

Many times, God’s deliverance doesn’t come instantly though. Like the Israelites, we may need to wait, trust, and step forward obediently. Yet the promise remains–He is with us and He makes a way where there just doesn’t seem to be one.

Are you facing an “impossible” situation? Maybe it’s something no one else even understands. Take heart—God hasn’t abandoned you. The same God who split the Red Sea for the Israelites can part the metaphorical sea in your life. Bring your doubts to Him and trust that He will come through. You may not see the path to come, but He’s way ahead of you.