Bad things happen. Bad things happen to Good People. It’s an old cliché and everyone knows it and has likely used it. Yet as Christians, we understanding that just because bad things happen it doesn’t mean that we are being punished for something that we have done. God works through His Providence to accomplish His will.
There were great men of Faith in the Old Testament. God promised Abraham that he would give him a son and make him into a great nation. Abraham believed God and Isaac was born. Through Isaac the line was continued onto Jacob and through Jacob to his twelve sons, who would become the twelve tribes of Israel. These men were sinners and did not lead perfect lives. But they had faith in God, and God used them for his purposes.
Joseph too had faith in God. Though he was not destined to be in the Messianic line, God used Joseph as an instrument to provide for his father and brothers. Here was a man who endured the ridicule of his brothers, being sold into slavery, and accused of rape causing him to be thrown into prison. Many of us would feel as though God had simply turned His back and let all these horrible things occur. But Joseph was faithful. While he may not have understood what God was doing, his faith endured. Whatever his circumstances, the Lord was with him and blessed him. Because of his faith, he was elevated to be the Prime Minister of Egypt and put in the perfect position to save his family from the famine in the land. Joseph put it very succinctly when he said, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” – Genesis 50:20
The story of Joseph is a story of faith and enduring hardship. It is the story of looking past all the bad things that happen and seeing God at work in your life. Trust in the Lord and He will direct your paths. The Great Story – Week 03 is online! Go learn about the nature of our God!
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