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A Way Out
I’ve been a little frustrated with the website lately. As you all have seen, I’m sure, we’ve been having problems with our server. I don’t understand all that technical mumbo jumbo (you like that word, don’t you) but my brother Gabe is working hard to get it all straightened out. We’re hoping to get the site fully functional again in the next couple of weeks. For now, we just have the column up, but at least Gabe was able to ghetto-rig that. Thank you for your patience.
I was reading the story of Joseph in the Bible the other day and I was thinking that Joseph sure had a series of unfortunate events happen to him (and I thought Lemony Snicket had it bad). Here was a man, called by God to do great and mighty things, yet he had to first suffer through many trials to get to that place. One thing that always rang true in his life was that God always made “A Way Out” of each problem that arose. But, how many know that God’s way out is not always our way out.
Joseph was on a mission from his dad to search out his brothers to see if they were doing alright (Genesis 37). When they saw Joseph coming, his own brothers plotted to kill him. They threw him in a well and were deciding what to do with him. How do you think Joseph felt at that moment? I can imagine him praying and asking God to get him out of there.
His brothers saw a caravan of Ishmaelites traveling to Egypt so they decided, instead of killing Joseph, to sell him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. So, how did God get Joseph out of this situation? He was sold into slavery. I’m sure this wasn’t the way Joseph expected his prayer to be answered.
Now Joseph was sold to Potiphar, who was one of Pharaoh’s officials in Egypt (Genesis 39). Joseph found favor in Potiphar’s eyes and he put Joseph in charge of all that he owned. Joseph probably thought to himself that finally he was starting to make something of his life. But then he came across another problem. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. He did what was right and did not give in to her. He ran away, but when she told Potiphar a lie, they threw Joseph in prison. Imagine what Joseph must have been feeling. He did what was right in God’s eyes and He was still thrown in prison. He had a right to be mad and angry.
I don’t understand God, and I know I never totally will. There’s been so many times in my life where things didn’t go the way I planned them out or didn’t go the way I thought God was going to work them out. There’s been some pain and struggles, but one thing I’ve learned is that God DOES know what He’s doing. He lets us go through things so that we can come out stronger on the other side.
I’m one of those people that believe that God can turn the bad into good. I believe He can take the foolish things and make them wise. He can take the crooked and make it straight. He can take the shy person and make him a great speaker. Why do I believe? Because the Bible says so!!!
Sunday at church my Pastor was talking about “DESTINY”! Joseph had a destiny. He knew he was called to greatness, but he had no idea how he was going to get there. I believe in those hard times, when he was down in that well, when he thought he was going to die, when he was in prison, he held onto that promise from God. Joseph did fulfill his destiny. He became one of the most powerful men in Egypt and in the world for that matter (Genesis 41-42).
I don’t know what you’re going through right now but I want to tell you “There is A WAY OUT of your situation.” It’s not always going to happen like you planned. It might get really really ugly before it gets better, but you can rest assure that God has your life in His hands. That promise that God has made to you will come true. That destiny He’s called you to, you will get there. Just keep your trust in Him and He will be with you every step of the way.
w/muchluv,
geno
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