As you read this inspiring article, one might wonder why I choose the Joseph (son of Jacob) as the main character for this article. Great characters in the Bible such as Noah, Abraham, Daniel, David, Isaiah, Paul, Gideon, Moses, Ruth, Esther, Martha all had their fair share of crisis at on point in their life but the one thing that struck me about the story of Joseph is that, here is a guy that never got bitter at God for all that he went through. He was put into a pit and sold into slavery by his own brothers, deported into a foreign land, accused by Potiphar's wife and put into prison for apparently the wrong reason. Through all this trails and tribulations this guy never got bitter but rather his faith in the Lord who gave him a dream to become a ruler was rather strengthened.
His story shows us that God is always there with us and He desires to get us through it. Ultimate evil planned against you will be used by God for your God. That was what Joseph told his brothers when they met eye-to-eye after twenty years. He said in Genesis 50:20 (NKJV) But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
I begin this article by introducing you to the believer creed today, it reads "God promises to get me through it. It won’t be easy, painless neither will it quick. But God also promises to use this mess for good. In the meantime don’t be foolish or naive. But don’t despair either. With God’s help you will get through this."
The story of Joseph will be the first to begin in the pit in the Holy Bible but and the first to say that life in the pit stinks and is never a place to be but his story teaches us that life in the pit is the starting point of a dream come true. You may today happen to find yourself in the pit today but know this, God is with you and will get you through it. Those act of injustices to have happen to you in your life today are all meet to strength you and build you up. When God promises to get us through it (pit), He desires to get us through and use the pit to strengthen our faith. The pit you find yourself in today is there to teach us one thing, that ultimately "good" will always triumph every "evil".
Joseph's attack by his brothers caught him off-guard so did yours. His came in the form of slavery, yours...? unemployment, abused, cheated upon or forgotten? Don't despair, because Joseph's story teaches us on basic principle, don't be naive and get bitter, for with God's help, you will not only survive but trive. God will carry you and get you through it. How did Joseph manage to flourish in the midst of these tragedy? He understood this "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Joseph tied himself to the pillar of this promise and held on because he trusted in God's judgement. You might not understand your current situation you find yourself but believe in God! He knows what He is doing.
God redeemed the pain of Joseph over and over again so will He do for you. The torn robe became a royal one. The pit became a palace. The broken family grew old together. The very acts intended to destroy God’s servant turned out to strengthen him. “You meant evil against me,” Joseph said, but God used it to strength and build up a strong character. God gave us the story of Joseph to show us that, He the master potter can redeem us from any situation we find ourself in. You’ll get through this. You fear you won’t. We all do. We fear that the depression, the yelling and the pain will never leave but God promises to get us through it. Will it be easy, painless and on a faster pace? I can't guarantee you that, but what I can guarantee you is to trust in His timing. He will surely sustain you and get you through it.
You might wonder why will God get you through it? Well let me remind you of this, one of God's favorite phrase is "to get you through it" He gets us through the Red Sea onto dry ground (Ex. 14:22), through the wilderness (Deut. 29:5), through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps. 23:4), and through the deep sea (Ps. 77:19). He will get you through it, when? In His own time. Sometimes God takes his time. It took Him 120years to prepare Noah for the flood, 80years to prepare Moses for his work. God called young David to be king but returned him to the sheep pasture. He called Paul to be an apostle and then isolated him in Arabia for some years. How long will God take with you? He may take his time. His history is redeemed not for a day but a lifetime.
The story of Joseph is in the bible for this reason: to teach you to trust God to trump evil. What Satan intends for evil, God, the Master Potter, redeems for good. God did for Joseph. At the right time, in the right way, he will do the same for you. Joseph is not the first or the last to have a story that begins in a "pit." His story got worse before it got better. He was abounded, sold into slavery, lied about and imprisoned, but Joseph never gave up or bitter. The boy in the "pit" became prince in the palace and saved a generation from starvation. God knows how to get you to your destiny. Just trust in His timing.
Joseph experienced suffering. He was tossed in a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, unjustly put in prison. However, God’s faithfulness om him became evident to all as he was lifted up as a ruler of Egypt and saved many people from famine. You're a Joseph of our generation designed to become an influence to the world and no obstacle can prevent you. If God be for you, no one can be against you.
Joseph experienced suffering. He was tossed in a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, unjustly put in prison. However, God’s faithfulness om him became evident to all as he was lifted up as a ruler of Egypt and saved many people from famine. You're a Joseph of our generation designed to become an influence to the world and no obstacle can prevent you. If God be for you, no one can be against you.
When Joseph was sold into slavery, everything he thought he’d ever had vanished. Just like you? Have you been down to your last penny, down the pecking order, down on your luck, down on your life. Life pulls us down but God knows best and knows how to carry you and redeem you. You will get through it.
Do not plod through life as if there is no God who loves you. As if you alone draw your strength or live life as if the only solution comes from within and not from above. Do not live a God-less life. God loves you and He promises to be by your side and get you through it.
The path to a victorious life wasn’t quick, and it wasn’t painless, but wouldn’t you say that God took this mess and made it into something good? The Lord who did it for Joseph is still in control and will do so for you.
Through the pain that Joseph went through, one thing was unique about His victorious life: he focused on the promise in spite of the facts. He started the day in the prison but ended up as the prince of the palace. Your situation just like Joseph's comes with pain but focus on the promise and God will certainly get you through.
God was able to heal a broken and dysfunctional family and reunite them with joy. He did it for Joseph and He will surely do that for you and restore your family back together. He will surely get you through it.
God will get you through this not because you are strong but because your friend [Christ Jesus] who sticks closer than a friend is with you. God will get you through this into your divine destiny. He did it for Joseph and will do same for you.
Calamities can leave us off balance and confused. Consider the crisis [famine] the generation of Joseph faced with no hope assured. But then comes the boy in the pit now the Prince in the palace to give hope and save humanity[Genesis 47:25]. You are a Joseph of this generation designed by God to solve humanity crisis. You are a beacon of hope.
In times of crisis know this, God is with you. He always has a reason for bringing us to it. Joseph did. He knew God was in the crisis and went through with a God given plan by saving humanity from starvation. In the difficult moments you need to keep calm and carry on knowing that God is with you in the crisis.
When faced with challenges in life do not expect miracles to get you through it. Lean on God for help and develop a plan to get through it. Joseph did in his generation [Genesis 41:35-36] and saved the human race. Make a plan and trust God to take you through this.
God’s sovereignty over us should not negate our responsibility of developing a plan in times of crisis. During such times, allow God to empower you with the strength to make it through it. When we lean and trust in our sovereign Lord, we plan more precisely and react more decisively.
God’s sovereignty over us should not negate our responsibility of developing a plan in times of crisis. During such times, allow God to empower you with the strength to make it through it. When we lean and trust in our sovereign Lord, we plan more precisely and react more decisively.
Life makes us all vulnerable sometimes, leadership who face challenge in their scheme of affairs, married couple who cheat on follow partners, pastors whose faith begin to dwindle when faced with questions about the hardships in an economy, we all fall vulnerable at times, but know this, God is with you and His goal is to help you get through it.
Joseph could have given up on God when his brothers sold him into slavery which lead to deportation, slavery in a foreign land and imprisoned. But he held on to faith knowing that God is with him and get him through it. Your story is not different from that of Joseph's and the same God who got him through it will do same for you.
The world's faces a famine [depression,health issues,economic crisis] of our own today and the world needs a Joseph. You are the Joseph of our time and the world needs you. The world needs you so make it your priority to become the beacon of hope.
