Keeping faith is about knowing that we are where
God has placed us!
From
the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis, we can learn such things as: patience,
persistence, forgiveness, repaying good for evil, resisting temptation and how
to depend on God. These are the obvious
lessons as we read his life.
However
there are a couple of things about Joseph that may not be so obvious:
1. Joseph in order to become the man of faith
that God would bless, developed his faith through painful circumstances:
- hated by his brothers
- sold into slavery
- falsely accused and imprisoned
- forgotten by the butler
Through
each of these circumstances Joseph was challenged to have faith in God for:
- rather than being killed he was sold
- as a slave he prospered
- in prison he prospered
- in Pharaoh’s kingdom he prospered
immeasurably
God
had his hand on Joseph’s life and Joseph new it!
2. Joseph kept his faith during prosperity and
success as well! Success has corrupted more individuals than hardship ever
has? It’s prosperity that often causes people to lose sight of their God-given
vision or they attempt to bring it to pass through their own natural ability.
Even with extreme wealth and power at his disposal, Joseph waited on the Lord
and watched in faith as He brought the dream to fulfillment! It is imperative to seek God and trust Him
even more when things are going well!
Unwavering faith is about
trusting God even when our circumstances appear to be completely wrong. As with Joseph, our lives take many turns and
most of it we have no control over.
Faith believes that God is still in it and working it through for good.
Romans 8:28a (NLT) (28)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of
those who love God …..
I am also reminded of James
1:2-4 (NIV) (1:2) Consider it
pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your
faith develops perseverance. (4) Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything.
One of the most amazing
things that Joseph said when addressing his brothers is recorded here in Genesis
50:20 (NIV) (20) You intended to harm me, but God
intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many
lives.
May you be encouraged to continuously look to God and
keep your faith in Him to finish what He has started in your life! It may not look like He is involved or even
cares. But He is and He does! Trust Him and believe that He has placed you
right where He wants you!
Read: Psalm 90:10-17 & Romans 8:28-39
