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| From these ancient texts... |
The Bible tells a story about a man named Joseph. Though his story had a happy ending, it was riddled with heartache, hard times, and betrayal. At a young age his older brothers conspired to murder him. They didn't follow through on it and instead sold the lad, their own brother, into slavery and told their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast.
If you know the story it's easy to glaze over the details but, seriously, stop and think about it for a moment; Joseph's big brothers SOLD HIM INTO SLAVERY thus setting in motion a series of horrific events for the guy including years of slavery, exploitation, and hard time served in jail.
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| We've all been hurt, but Joseph had tragedies to cope with many of us cannot even begin to fathom. |
However, God preserved and rescued Joseph on countless occasions and eventually made him a ruler in the most powerful nation on earth at the time, Egypt. He gave Joseph the resources and foresight to help thousands of people from starvation during a desperate time of famine on earth. Joseph's journey, so horrible at first, ended in, not only salvation and peace, but the rescuing of countless other lives.
Okay, so many of us would be quick to believe Joseph had a right to be bitter, hurt, and angry at those who abused and betrayed him and I would venture to guess he had issues that took him years to work through.
However, at the end of this ancient drama, Joseph's long lost brothers make a reappearance, ironically coming to beg their brother (whom they betrayed in heinous fashion) for food.
Wow, what a great opportunity to really let them have their comeuppance!
But that's not what Joseph does.
Instead he utters one of the most profound and powerful statements in history:
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
(Genesis 50:20)
Mind. Blown.
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| Thanking your enemies? That just doesn't happen everyday... |
I've never had anyone try to take my life nor have I been sold into slavery. However, there have been times in life I've believed myself to be treated unfairly or harshly. In the bitterness of my reality and my brokenness I've asked God "Why!?" Why didn't He rescue me when I wanted it? Why did He put me in that situation in the first place? After all, He had the power to surround me with different people and easy stories. Why did He see fit to allow all this to happen?
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| The questions that grab you -- Why me God? |
One thing I know is that God has a high respect for mankind's free will and man's choice, whether for good or evil. He also knows how this whole journey called life will play out. God knew how the people who have hurt me were going to behave long before they even existed.
As He knew what Joseph's brothers were going to do, so He knew what people around me were going to do, how they would hurt me, or how they would simply let me down. God knew this and, in His all-knowing wisdom, God chose to put me right where I was for times such as these. Why? After all, didn't my heavenly Father's heart break when mine broke? Yes.
But He knew that, out of everyone else, I was the one who could go through "xyz" and come out on the other side of this thing. He knew I could shine brighter in the end because of the trials. He knew I could possibly go on to accomplish an important task, a task that may not have been presented to me if I didn't have the experiences I've had.
It's really corny sounding but, to twist an old expression -- sinful man and a cruel world can and will give us lemons BUT God can take anything broken and give the world lemonade.
So may I be able to say, "You, {insert name}, intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
Thank You Jesus for the storms. Thank You for the trials. Let the things that have hurt me, the things that have broken me, make me shine brighter for You Lord, so, through my weakness and my scars, Your strength and power may be seen and You may be glorified!
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| Praise Him through the storm |
(frayed Bible)
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(close portrait)
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(surprise)
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(Silhouette)
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(worship)
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