Last
day’s devotional concluded with “Know for certain that everything
that happens is within God's perfect plan.” I have observed that there are basically two responses to
suffering. It either makes you bitter
or it makes you better. And in the end we choose. Paul, whose
suffering in my view, was far from light, could nevertheless say “For
our light affliction ... is working for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). The assumption
behind this though, is that we stop fighting the people and
circumstances God allows or sends into our lives. These are the
very things that bring us over and over, to the crossroads of the
ongoing choice to be better or bitter.
In
the story we were looking at last day, Joseph’s circumstance were
the direct results of both the deliberate intended evil of his
brothers (Genesis 37:27, 28), and the likely unintended generational
dysfunction of his parents (giving the coat of many colours that
provoked jealousy Genesis 37:3,4). In all of this God was using it
for character polishing, to make him more like Jesus, and to make him
fruitful (Romans 8:28,29; Genesis 41:52; 50:20). Joseph’s destiny
was, among other things, to rule over his family (Genesis 37:5-9).
But like all destinies, he was not going to get there without a
fight. The point is that fulfilling our destiny is not automatic. And
part of my destiny and yours, is to be more than conquerors (Romans
8:37). And we will not be more that conquerors if we have nothing we
need to conquer. And may times this is ourself!
Part
of what needs to happen in this regard, is that we need to humble
ourselves under the might hand of God. When we do this, He will exalt
us in due season (1 Peter 5:6). Joseph could have blamed everyone but
himself, nursed the injustice, dragged his feet as a servant in
Potiphar’s palace. He could have given in to Potiphar’s
seduction, he could have sulked in jail and waited impatiently during
the more than two full years of imprisonment (Genesis 39:4, 7, 21;
41:1). Had he done this, he would not have obtained favour
(verses 4, 21). What I am saying is that in order to move into
our destiny we may have to humble ourselves, and not only stop
fighting the people and circumstances He allows, but rather to
determine not to be bitter, to learn to count it all joy (James
1:2), and so to cooperate with God in His work to make us better. It
works like this “God
resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
When we do our part, God will do His. Though we may leave Him, He
will never leave us, and He will give us the favour we need and bring
us into our destiny (Genesis
39:2, 4, 21).
Father,
it seems to me that this is a lesson we need to learn over and over.
You want us to wait patiently on You Lord (Psalm 40:1), and I have
not always done this well. Thank You for Your Grace and Mercy, and
for the promise that You who began a good work in me will keep right
on working in this way (Philippians 1:6). And I pray for myself and
all those reading this blog that You will give us ongoing grace to
humble ourselves, so that You can bring us into our individual
destiny in Jesus Name Amen
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