But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And 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. Genesis 50:19, 20 (New American Standard Bible)
I saw something a couple of days ago when I was in Texarkana, AR. Coming out of a restaurant into an outside temperature of 40 degrees and a probable wind chill of 35 I passed a flowerbed where some lavender roses were blooming. It was the last thing I expected to see one week before Thanksgiving but it was a joyful discovery all the same. Good things can happen when the chill of life descends into our daily situations. In contemplating this I began to think about how many of the bad situations in my life were catalysts for my own growth and renewal. That bully who tormented me in junior high school, the high school teacher who mocked me before the class for a mistake I made, the boss who treated me badly and the brain tumor that took away a lot of my physical ability were all things that at the moment seemed really terrible. But were they really that bad? Was I left destitute and in rags? I admit I carried some temporary resentment and anger in most of the situations. What I’ve just begun to see in these things is the growth and maturity these situations brought to me. For some of these things it’s only taken me 40 or 50 years for it to dawn on me.
The case of Joseph has always been one of my favorite stories. If anyone had reason to be angry and bitter it was he. After being sold into slavery he spent 13 years of further mistreatment. You can bet during that time he wondered how it could all work together for good. He continually tried to do the right thing and basically found that no good deed went unpunished. I think it would have broken me. But at the end God vindicated him and showed His reasoning for all the heartburn He allowed Joseph to suffer. His family and an eventual nation were saved from death by famine. The people who brought the heartache on him meant evil but God turned it to good. The story is a triumph of patient persevering, release and forgiveness. The story is not only one of the great stories of the Bible but of all literature.
As I look back on my life God has turned a lot of my situations around by giving me great joy in the good times and strength of character and trust in the bad ones. Who knows but God how each thing that happens in my life can work for my greatest good, even the bad ones? It seems that every situation can serve to meld the crucible of pain into power, understanding and wisdom. Wherever the chill of life descends I believe I will continue to find God’s final confirmation to me standing like a lavender rose blooming in the first breath of winter.
Jesus, help me not be overwhelmed with today’s calamity but to trust in You that eventually I will see either a good outcome or if Your reason remains hidden how much You have strengthened my soul and spirit. Amen.
Ken
www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com
I saw something a couple of days ago when I was in Texarkana, AR. Coming out of a restaurant into an outside temperature of 40 degrees and a probable wind chill of 35 I passed a flowerbed where some lavender roses were blooming. It was the last thing I expected to see one week before Thanksgiving but it was a joyful discovery all the same. Good things can happen when the chill of life descends into our daily situations. In contemplating this I began to think about how many of the bad situations in my life were catalysts for my own growth and renewal. That bully who tormented me in junior high school, the high school teacher who mocked me before the class for a mistake I made, the boss who treated me badly and the brain tumor that took away a lot of my physical ability were all things that at the moment seemed really terrible. But were they really that bad? Was I left destitute and in rags? I admit I carried some temporary resentment and anger in most of the situations. What I’ve just begun to see in these things is the growth and maturity these situations brought to me. For some of these things it’s only taken me 40 or 50 years for it to dawn on me.
The case of Joseph has always been one of my favorite stories. If anyone had reason to be angry and bitter it was he. After being sold into slavery he spent 13 years of further mistreatment. You can bet during that time he wondered how it could all work together for good. He continually tried to do the right thing and basically found that no good deed went unpunished. I think it would have broken me. But at the end God vindicated him and showed His reasoning for all the heartburn He allowed Joseph to suffer. His family and an eventual nation were saved from death by famine. The people who brought the heartache on him meant evil but God turned it to good. The story is a triumph of patient persevering, release and forgiveness. The story is not only one of the great stories of the Bible but of all literature.
As I look back on my life God has turned a lot of my situations around by giving me great joy in the good times and strength of character and trust in the bad ones. Who knows but God how each thing that happens in my life can work for my greatest good, even the bad ones? It seems that every situation can serve to meld the crucible of pain into power, understanding and wisdom. Wherever the chill of life descends I believe I will continue to find God’s final confirmation to me standing like a lavender rose blooming in the first breath of winter.
Jesus, help me not be overwhelmed with today’s calamity but to trust in You that eventually I will see either a good outcome or if Your reason remains hidden how much You have strengthened my soul and spirit. Amen.
Ken
www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com
