Faith is often diminished by hardship because emotions play a powerful part in most human thinking, and thinking can become increasingly pessimistic when any sort of pain continues unabated. Accordingly, it is understandable that the Israelites would not listen (Exodus 6:9) to Moses' latest message of divine reassurance, even though they had previously welcomed Yahweh's words (Exodus 4:29-31). Pharoah's strategy (5:7-9) had proved remarkably successful. The people were overcome by impatience* for relief by hard slavery.
* Stuart says hebrew is impatience, not ESV's "broken spirit" or NIV's "discouragement"
More i dwell on it though, not a contradiction.
