Genesis 39
This is one of my favorite accounts in the Bible — the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. It reminds me that even when we've been mistreated by those we've trusted or falsely accused despite acting with integrity, God is sovereign.
When we are in terrible circumstances, we have a choice to either focus on the circumstances or to focus on God and do everything we can to the best of our ability, trusting that God is ultimately in control. In Joseph's case, God was positioning Joseph to be in a role that would allow him to save his family and many others. But that isn't the only thing God is doing. After all, he could have had Joseph sold to the Pharaoh when he arrived in Egypt and eliminated this whole Potiphar's wife and jail-time incident.
God is also working in Joseph. He's humbling a man whose greatest struggle seems to have been pride. He's preparing Joseph to be able to forgive and save his brothers. Yet when Joseph was in the well, or was being sold, or was serving Potiphar, or was being falsely accused and thrown in jail, he had no way of knowing what God was up to.
Speaking about God's sovereignty is not very popular, especially to people who are hurting. I get that. It's not easy to hear that God has a purpose for our pain when we are in the midst of it. And, to be perfectly transparent, there have been times when I've cried out to God that I really didn't care what His purpose was, it wasn't worth the pain I was going through. But as He brought healing and I began to see how tragedy was a step in a path to something greater that God was doing both in the circumstances and in my own heart, I began to trust that someday, it would be worth it, and that in eternity, all that was lost would be regained.
What does this chapter teach us about God? That He is with us in every situation and He is sovereign. What does it teach us about ourselves? That when we face terrible circumstances and injustice, God is still with us and will use even the worst circumstances to bring about His plan for our good eternally and for His Glory. How should this impact the way I live this week? I should live in victory, knowing that no challenge that comes my way is random and no enemy is greater than my Champion.
This is one of my favorite accounts in the Bible — the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. It reminds me that even when we've been mistreated by those we've trusted or falsely accused despite acting with integrity, God is sovereign.
When we are in terrible circumstances, we have a choice to either focus on the circumstances or to focus on God and do everything we can to the best of our ability, trusting that God is ultimately in control. In Joseph's case, God was positioning Joseph to be in a role that would allow him to save his family and many others. But that isn't the only thing God is doing. After all, he could have had Joseph sold to the Pharaoh when he arrived in Egypt and eliminated this whole Potiphar's wife and jail-time incident.
God is also working in Joseph. He's humbling a man whose greatest struggle seems to have been pride. He's preparing Joseph to be able to forgive and save his brothers. Yet when Joseph was in the well, or was being sold, or was serving Potiphar, or was being falsely accused and thrown in jail, he had no way of knowing what God was up to.
Speaking about God's sovereignty is not very popular, especially to people who are hurting. I get that. It's not easy to hear that God has a purpose for our pain when we are in the midst of it. And, to be perfectly transparent, there have been times when I've cried out to God that I really didn't care what His purpose was, it wasn't worth the pain I was going through. But as He brought healing and I began to see how tragedy was a step in a path to something greater that God was doing both in the circumstances and in my own heart, I began to trust that someday, it would be worth it, and that in eternity, all that was lost would be regained.
What does this chapter teach us about God? That He is with us in every situation and He is sovereign. What does it teach us about ourselves? That when we face terrible circumstances and injustice, God is still with us and will use even the worst circumstances to bring about His plan for our good eternally and for His Glory. How should this impact the way I live this week? I should live in victory, knowing that no challenge that comes my way is random and no enemy is greater than my Champion.
RSS Feed