021 Joseph: You'll Get Through This

He was just 17 years old when his jealous brothers sold him into slavery and for the next 13 years, Joseph went from one pit to another.

Perhaps you know what it’s like to live life in the pits. Life in the pits is an unexpected tumble. One day the sun is shining and next the clouds roll in and the bottom drops out.

Life in the pits has an uncertain future. “What will I do now?” That which seemed to be clear is now foggy and frightening. 

This was certainly true for Joseph. But somehow through all the mistreatment, betrayal, and abandonment, he never gave up on God. He never turned bitter or hateful. How?

A sneak peek at the end of the story gives us the answer. In Genesis 50:20, we discover Joseph’s secret. Call it 50/20 vision. Rather than caving in to the natural response of bitterness or cynicism, Joseph held on to his confidence in the sovereignty of God. The belief that God had an overarching plan and an unconquerable purpose

If you’re in the pits today, let these words give you hope and strength: 

“You’ll get through this.  It won’t be painless, and it won’t be quick.  But God has a way of taking these messes and using them for something good.  In the meantime, don’t be foolish and don’t be naïve.  But don’t despair either.  With God’s help, you’ll get through this.” (Max Lucado)

Text: Genesis 37

Originally recorded February 12, 2012, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.