The Joseph Principle

Ever had one of those weeks where the lows were REALLY low and the highs were REALLY high and it left you wanting to ask the operator of this ride called life to just stop so you can get off? That would be a picture perfect description of the past week for me but as is often the case with the Lord, I have been blessed with new insights about myself and life in general and can't keep them to myself. So here goes...

Not surprisingly, just about the time I was beginning to feel sorry for myself for having to deal with the trials God had chosen to allow into my life, I sat down to do my devotions and guess what the topic was? Joseph. Wouldn't you know He would place before me the textbook case of unfairness just when I was drowning in my own self-pity? Although I have read this story hundreds of times over the years, I began to look at it in a slightly different light.

It hit me that if Joseph had known how great his contribution would be to his family and to the whole of Egypt, he would have gladly endured all the hardships, knowing there would be a tremendous pay off in the end. Then it occurred to me that Joseph made the best of his situation even without knowing exactly what the pay off would be. And that is precisely what God wants from me also.

He promised me in Romans 8:28 that He would work all things out to the good and I had, in fact, seen that very promise carried out a few short weeks ago when we were vandalized so why was this such a revelation for me?? If I lived every day the way Joseph did, I would meet every challenge with the attitude that  my momentary suffering could be a vessel for eternal blessings. How differently would I look at things with this shift in focus? I would not think twice about experiencing hardship if I knew my own child would reap the benefit at a later date. The truth is I am short sighted and human and need to be reminded often that my view of life is limited.

I'm sure there will be more weeks where life will be a roller coaster ride but next time,I'm going to try to apply what I have now begun to refer to as the "Joseph Principle," a more God-focused view of the things He allows in my life that can and will have eternal repercussions. Way to go, Joseph!