I just finished listening to the second of two sermons that JR Vassar preached about Joseph. No, not Mary's Joseph. The other Joseph. Joseph, a son who drew the favor of his father while drawing the hatred of his brothers. Joseph, a teenage boy who dreamed of his older brothers bowing to him. Joseph, the brother who was stripped of his coat, thrown into a cistern and was reported dead to his father all at the hands of his brothers. Joseph, sold into slavery, then sold to Potiphar where he became a trusted adviser. Joseph, the desire of Potiphar's wife, and after refusing her advances was accused of trying to sleep with her and was thrown into prison. Joseph, who interpreted Pharoah's dream and was put in charge of his palace to save the kingdom from drought and famine. Joseph, who had mercy on his brothers even after all they had put him through.
You know, that Joseph.
Joseph and I have some stuff in common. I wasn't thrown into a cistern or sold by my brothers, although when I was little they may have wanted to sell me. That stuff hasn't happened to me. However, there have been times of unimaginable struggle in my life where I, and undoubtedly Joseph, would ask the question, "God, where are You? Why are You letting this happen? What good can come from all of this heartache? Are You still there? Can You hear me?"
While walking through the valley, I never thought that any good could come from it. When you are in the valley, all you see is valley. You see darkness. You see despair. You feel anger. You are confused. You feel a little hopeless. You jump around every corner because you think that the shadows are moving against you. The last thing you feel in the valley is anything good.
What I saw was what my tunnel vision would allow, and that was...valley and more valley. I couldn't see that all around me God was working for my good, not my destruction.
In Joseph's case, God turned what his brothers intended for harm (hurting their brother, selling him for profit, breaking his father's heart claiming he was dead, putting him through some pretty crappy circumstances) into something very good, which would in turn save many, many lives. Joseph was asked to interpret a dream Pharoah had had. Joseph told Pharoah that there would be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. He suggested that the storehouses be loaded during the plenty so there would be plenty to feed the people during the famine. Because of God speaking through Joseph to interpret Pharoah's dream, many people were saved from the famine, including Joseph's own family.
God used all of the unfortunate circumstances that Joseph went through for his good. For the good of God's people. Not only to save a nation, but also to salvage and reconcile a broken family through forgiveness. Joseph could have let them starve. When he saw his brothers coming, he could have refused them. He could have banned them. He could have, but didn't. He had compassion and mercy. He was able, because God ordained it, to use his circumstance and situation for good.
God does that for me now. I gave my testimony on Tuesday. I wasn't even sure what I all said. I don't like talking about where I come from. Where my life has been. What it has been. I don't generally like talking in front of people at all. But, during the summer God really placed it on my heart to share about my past. Where I had been, what I went through and how He has redeemed things. To talk about the work He is doing in and through me and is not even close to being done with. If I am being honest, there is still a lot of pain. There are still situations that I would have responded differently to had I known the outcome was going to be so devastating.
But God knows. He knows my heart. He has heard every single time I have cried out wondering where He is. He has collected all of my tears and mourns with me through those parts of my life that didn't exactly go as planned.
He is using it, too. For my good, not my destruction. To teach me reliance on Him and Him alone. To walk through this world with others who have experienced similar circumstances to let them know that they aren't walking this out alone. That there is no situation that is ever hopeless. There is ALWAYS hope. Our circumstances are temporary but our God is constant. His plan and purpose are perfect and sometimes we have to walk through some pretty nasty circumstances so that we can see just what He was doing on the other side of it. To grow us, to teach us, to draw us to His loving heart. To hold us, to guide us, to set us free from those things that chain us down to our insecurities and doubts. He sets the captives free, if only we put our faith and hope in Him to do so.
He works through all things for our good, not our destruction.
He continually does it for me. Daily. Minutely. Hourly. I don't always understand why. I don't have to. He will make that clear one day. Right now, all I need to know is that He is with me. When I am with God, I'm good. And if God is for me, who can be against me? Even if it sucks, it is all for good.
Guess what? He does it for you, too.
:)
Goodnight.
