What I Learned (and continue to learn) From Storms

This spring has been one of the rainiest, stormiest springs that I can remember. And all the rolling thunder and flashes of lightning has brought back a lot of childhood memories. See, when I was a kid I hated storms. I would burrow under my blankets, no matter how hot it was—apparently, in my childhood mind 1/16 of an inch of cotton would protect me. Our house had those old single pane windows that would rattle at the slightest rumble of thunder. So I’d lay under my blankets until a really loud clap of thunder shook the whole house. You know the kind that you kind of feel in the moment just before it hits? Well when it hit I would set an Olympic record for Fastest Indoor Sprint to Mom & Dad’s Room. Thankfully I grew out of that fear. But thinking back on those days has caused me to realize that I learned some valuable lessons from the storms.
First, I learned that my parents loved me. When I would make a mad dash for Mom & Dad’s room it was because I was afraid. Mom & Dad knew this and they would encourage me that it was only thunder, there was nothing to be afraid of. They’d reassure me that everything was going to be OK. And they were right. Storms weren’t the only way way I learned that my parents loved me, but they were certainly one way I did.

On the other side of that coin, I learned that while my parents loved me, my parents wanted me to grow up. I suppose it would sound nicer if I said “mature” instead of “grow up” but the idea is the same. They were loving & encouraging but there were also times when they would lovingly & encouragingly tell me to get my tail back into bed and quit waking them up. Why would they do that? Simple. You can’t spend your life running from your fears. They wanted me to mature and be able to face my fears. And the only way to learn to face your fears is to face your fears. Storms weren’t the only way I learned that my parents wanted me to mature, but they were certainly one way.
I also learned that I can trust my parents. There were times when they’d let me stay in their room for a while & there were times when they’d kick my tail back to my room. But there were a few times when the storms got really bad. And what I remember is that when it got really bad I never had to run to them. When it got really bad they came & got me. We'd all pile into the closet and hide under pillows and wait for the storm to pass. I remember one time in particular when I knew it was really bad. Mom & Dad got us and piled us into the closet, even though that's where they had hidden our Christmas presents Santa had stored our presents. And that year Santa had brought me a GI Joe Phantom X-19. If you know what that is, congratulations, your childhood was as awesome as mine. If you don't, google it because it was an incredible gift for a little boy. That night, when they came and got my brother and I, I learned that when I needed their protection most I’d always have it. Storms weren’t the only way I learned to trust my parents, but they were certainly one way. 

Finally, I learned lessons for others. What I mean is that the lessons I learned weren’t just lessons for me to take to heart. They were lessons that I could share with others. I find myself reassuring my kids the same way Mom & Dad reassured me. I find myself kicking my kids out of my room the way Mom & Dad did me. Storms taught me that the lessons we learn in life aren’t just for us. They’re for us to help others.

Now what’s the point of all this? Simply this-the storms we face in life aren’t always physical storms are they? We face storms of doubt, heartbreak, fear, disappointment and a thousand other things. But just as I learned from these physical storms, I can learn from the storms of life as well. Storms teach me that I have a Father in heaven who loves me. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus bids us come to Him with the burdens of our lives, to lay them at His feet and let Him take care of them. God loves us-so much so that He was willing to pay any cost to redeem us back to Himself. Though we’re tempted to believe that storms are proof that God doesn’t love us or is angry with us, the fact is that God uses the storms in our lives to remind us of His great love for us. God also uses storms to teach us that God wants us to mature in our faith. The only way to grow in our faith is to be put in a situation where we must use our faith. In Mark 4, when the disciples were caught n a storm & had to wake Jesus up what did He say to them? “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” In other words, the storm was an opportunity for them to flex their spiritual muscles, as it were, to exercise their faith. That’s still the case for us. God uses storms to teach us that we can trust Him. In Psalm 46:1 we read, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Just as my parents would come & get me when it got really bad, God will come & get us when we need Him. There are times when He leaves us to face the storm, seemingly all alone, in order to strengthen our faith. But He will never let us fall. He comes to our rescue, always just when we need Him, and protects us through the storm. Finally, God uses storms to teach us lessons for others. God will show us truths about Himself not just for our benefit but for the benefit of others. We can encourage others through their storms with lessons God has taught us. Maybe God taught you about His faithfulness so you can hold up someone who’s afraid they’re about to fall. Maybe God strengthened you through the storm so that you can strengthen others through the storms they face.
Storms aren’t the only way God teaches us-but they are certainly one way that He does. I pray that God will continue to teach me about His greatness through the storms of life. And that I'll learn to rest in His perfect protection.

I'm Officially the Worst Dad Ever

So this morning I became the Worst Dad Ever. It's official. No need to recount the votes or anything, it's a done deal. Here's how I earned this title.

My daughter loves to read. She doesn't read books, she devours them. This is a good thing. What's not a good thing is that when I looked at the book she was reading this morning I noticed the title was "The Necromancer." Necromancy is the art of black magic and/or talking with & conjuring up the dead. In other words, it's not something that is smiled on in polite society. 

But more to the point, it's not something that is smiled on by God. Leviticus 19:26 & Deuteronomy 18:10 both expressly forbade God's people from involvement in this. "But that Old Testament and we're under grace now", you might say. True enough. But Galatians 5:19-20 speak to the same topic. Point is, it's hard to figure how it's a good idea for a follower of Jesus to entertain themselves with something that is strictly forbidden in the Bible, right? 

So I told my daughter this, told her this wasn't the best choice of reading material and we need to find something else. And that, my friends, is when it got fun. She didn't yell, because she isn't a yell-er. She started sniffling, then silently cried for a while. She was upset because the book is part of a series and if she couldn't finish the book she wouldn't know how it would end and it was a cliffhanger and she'd already read the first two and it just isn't a big deal and she knows it isn't real so why can't I just finish it and you're the WORST DAD EVER! 

OK, she didn't actually say that last part. But she was thinking it. So I had a great start to my morning.

As much as I like giving my kids a hard time, I didn't enjoy this at all. I don't like knowing she's upset with me. I don't like knowing I upset her. So why stick to my guns? Couple reasons.

1, her happiness is not my primary concern. I want her to be happy. I want her to have the most wonderful childhood imaginable and have lots of happy memories and one day, when I'm old and gray, have her sit with me and we can laugh together about all the fun times we had while she was growing up. 

But her happiness isn't my primary concern. My primary concern is that I raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I'm charged by God to teach her what it means to serve Him. And part of that means I teach her about boundaries, and then enforce those boundaries. I want her to be happy. But more than that, I want her to be holy.

2, she doesn't always need what she thinks she needs. Children are convinced they know what's best for them, right? Ice cream at every meal, no bed time, and never, not ever, should they go to school. Just ask them. As parents we know that's not the case. They don't always know what they need. They don't always need what they think they need. And sometimes, the most loving thing I can do as a parent is to deny my children what they think they need to be happy. Even when it makes me the Worst Dad Ever.

Now here's the point of all this. This experience this morning was a great theology lesson for me. Because I usually react exactly like my daughter. And I react that way towards my heavenly father. There are times when I get upset with God. I get frustrated with him. I'll feel anger towards him when things aren't going the way I think they should. When that happens there are a couple things I have to learn to keep in mind.

1, my happiness is not God's primary concern. If you check the Christian best seller list you'll probably get the idea that what matters more than anything else to God is that you're happy and your life is perfect. That's just not a biblical idea.  God's primary concern for my life is that I'm conformed to the image of Christ. The greatest problem that mankind faces isn't that we're unhappy, it's that we're unholy. Sadness doesn't keep us from God-sin does. That's why Jesus didn't die to make me happy. He died to make me holy. At the moment of salvation I'm declared holy before God and then God spends the rest of my life making me who he's declared me to be. That means that sometimes I'll be unhappy to the glory of God. Now the end result of holiness is happiness. Actually it's something greater than happiness-it's unending joy. Ps. 16:11, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Holiness leads to eternal happiness. But God will never sacrifice the end result--holiness--to give us temporal happiness. He loves us too much.

2, I don't always need what I think I need. Just as my kids think they know what's best for them, I tend to think I know what's best for me. The reality is that I don't always know what's best for me. But God does. And often, the most loving thing God can do is deny me what I think I need be happy. Again, happiness isn't what I need most. It's holiness. And God knows precisely what I need to be made more like Christ. He always has my best interests at heart. I don't always have my best interests at heart, even though I think I do. The tension, then, is to learn to trust him instead of my own instincts.

One other interesting thing I noticed. My daughter didn't say, "Dad, I don't like this. But I trust you. I know you have my best interests at heart and so I'll accept this. Thanks for loving me enough to do something I don't like." No, she huffed her way to school and I'm sure she's telling all her friends what a jack wagon her dad is. That's fine. The opinion of children who can't properly match socks doesn't much concern me. But wouldn't that have been the right response? 

Shouldn't that be my response to God? When he does things for the sake of my holiness rather than my happiness, when he withholds the things I think I need because I don't actually need them, shouldn't I thank him for it? Even if I don't like it, shouldn't I be able to look back at his faithfulness? Not just to me, but throughout scripture. Shouldn't I be able to see how he's worked in the past and let that guide me to trust him with my present and my future?

I may be the Worst Dad Ever. But I'm so thankful that God is the best father, and will do whatever is necessary to finish the work he's begun in me.

Good Enough Even When I'm Not

I finished this morning's run at one of the best paces I've ever managed. I'm not posting the pace because, A) I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, and B) It's not a pace that will win me any races. I was happy with the time but I've got friends who can run circles around me. Even though that's the case, I'm not discouraged. I don't want to burn my running shoes. I don't want to sleep in until at least 5 on running days. OK, I actually do want to do that. Point is, I don't let the accomplishments of others cause me discouragement. I don't even let my own failures get me down. I know there's another day to run and another road to run on.
What's interesting is that my mindset towards my walk with Christ is often the complete opposite of my mindset towards running. As I try to serve Jesus I fail often. I fail miserably. I fail as a dad, I fail as a husband, I fail as a pastor & I fail as a man. I lose my temper. I'm not loving. I'm selfish. I don't put my wife first. I complain about doing things I have to do. I covet. I'm not content. I worry and fret about the future. And like so many of my fellow believers I get discouraged. I look at all my failures and often I just want to give up. The thought process goes something like, "If I can't do any better than that then why bother at all? I'm a disappointment to Jesus and myself." Or maybe it's something like, "God must be so sick of hearing me confess this failure to him again. I must be such a disappointment to him."
Why is it that when I fail as a runner I'm really not that discouraged but when I fail as a believer I'm ready to throw in the towel? Why is it that I don't beat myself up over a slow time but I will wallow in guilt over sin? I don't know the answers to those questions but here's what I do know.

I know that I don't have to be good enough--Jesus was good enough for me. (2 Cor. 5:21)

I know that I don't have to meet a standard to be accepted by God--Jesus met the standard for me. (I Cor. 1:30)

I know that I don't have to pay for my sins--Jesus paid for them in my place. (I John 4:10)

In other words, I don't have to waste my time wallowing in guilt over my failures. I experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit, I confess my sins to God and I receive His forgiveness through the perfect life and substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross. I don't have the spend my days worrying about my sin. I'm free to run the race that is set before me with joy. I'm free to rest in the finished work of Christ as I strive to be further conformed to His image. I'm free of the burden of comparing myself with my fellow believers and can instead encourage them in their walk with Christ and be encouraged by them in mine.
Because of Jesus--His life, death, resurrection & ascension--I'm good enough. Even when I'm not. Because my goodness didn't come from me. It came from Christ. As the old hymn says, "Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne!"

May we rest in the incredible work of Christ today, and live by his grace and for his glory.

A letter to my kids as they prepare for a new school year

You guys are going back to school on Monday! I hope you’re looking forward to a great year. Your mother & I are so proud of you guys and are praying it’s great. Believe it or not I remember what it was like to go back to school after summer break. I remember being nervous and excited and a little scared-and that was last year when I started seminary. So I wanted to tell you guys some things that I hope will help you this year.

—Everyone else is as nervous as you are. I know that’s probably hard to believe. I know there’s a group of super cool kids who everyone wants to be like and everyone wants to be friends with. But even they are nervous. Even they want to be accepted. They just fake it better than everyone else. If you can get hold of this it will make your time in school so much more enjoyable! When I finally got it school was so much more fun. I know, you’re surprised that dear old dad wasn’t one of the cool kids. But believe it or not, socially awkward band nerds aren’t always at the top of the high school totem pole. But when I figured out that everyone else was as nervous as me life got so much better!

—Just because everyone else wants to be someone’s friend doesn’t mean they’ll be a good friend. This is in reference to those super cool kids. I know that group. They’re the coolest and everyone wants to be with them. Here’s the thing-that doesn’t mean they’ll be good friends. In fact, some of the super cool kids could be pretty lousy friends. I’m not saying to ignore them or be mean to them. We ought to try to show the love of Jesus everyone, whether they’re good friends to us or not. Just keep in mind that if you’re not friends with the coolest person in the universe, that’s not actually the end of the world.

—Don’t let your value be determined by other people. Here’s what I mean-sometimes there are people who can just crush you. With a word, a laugh, or a lie they can ruin your day. And when your day gets ruined it’s easy to forget about our real value. When we’re not in the group we want to be in at school, when other kids are mean on the playground, when people who were your friend last year decide you aren’t cool enough for them this year it can make us feel pretty worthless. But listen carefully-your value isn’t determined by other people. Your value is determined by the One who made you. You are valuable because God says you’re valuable. And even more, you’re valuable because God has demonstrated that  you’re valuable. Jesus died for you. Read that sentence again. I’ll wait. If Jesus died for you then what difference does it make what someone who can’t even match their socks says? 

—People can be mean and will hurt your feelings. That’s not fair but that’s the way it is. When that happens, forgive them as Jesus forgives you. Love them as Jesus loves you. Don’t try to hurt them back. I’ll do that for you. Just kidding. Kind of.

—If your friends talk about other people, know that they’ll talk about you too. That’s just the way things are. So if you’re with a group of people who like to talk about others you need to decide if those are the kinds of folks you want to make memories with.

—You’re going to make mistakes. Some will be small. Some will be big. When it happens, remember that your mother & I love you because of who you are, not because of what you do. We love you because you’re ours and nothing can change that. Let us know what’s going on and we’ll figure it out together.

—Joy only comes from Jesus. You can find happiness in a lot of places. But lasting, forever, never-ending, always and forever joy only comes from Jesus. Jesus is so serious about our joy that He died for us! So don’t rest your hopes on things that won’t last.

—You will likely never regret doing what’s right.

—You will likely never fail to regret doing what’s wrong.

—Be a friend to the person who has none. This won't be easy. It won't be the cool thing to do. It will be awkward and uncomfortable. Do it anyway. It’s the kind of thing Jesus would do and we want to be like Him.

—When you have a bad day, telling it to God helps. Telling mom and dad helps too. So does ice cream. So let's plan on doing all 3, together, this year.

—Your life is making an impact for God’s glory. This is the most important one. You probably think you have to be grown to do big things for God’s glory. But that’s just not true. Right now, as you live for the glory of God, as you try to walk in obedience to Jesus and do the things He would do, right now you’re making an impact for Him. Every step of obedience is a lasting step.  

—We love you so much and are so proud of you! We don’t know why God chose us to be your parents but we are so glad He did! You guys are amazing! I love you more than you can know and can’t wait to share this new school year with you!

Willing though Unwilling

¹⁹ For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. ²⁵ Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.²⁷ But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.  I Corinthians 9:19-27

You know that feeling when you know what you should do but you don’t have the motivation to do so? Of course you do. Everyone wrestles with that. Too often in my life it seems that the lack of motivation becomes my motivation to avoid my responsibility.  In other words, my excuse for disobedience is that I don’t want to obey. That sounds terrible when I say it out loud doesn’t it? Which is why, for the most part, I won’t.
Here’s the thing—the Bible absolutely destroys this as an excuse. Look at Paul’s philosophy of ministry. In vs19-22 outline his strategy; do whatever it takes to minister the gospel to people. Why? Vs23. For the sake of the gospel. See, that’s the key. Paul’s motivation wasn’t something that came from inside, it came from outside. Here’s what I have to remind myself of—the gospel is worth it whether or not I feel like it. Jesus is worthy of everything I can offer, even when I don’t like offering anything.
In verse 24 Paul illustrates what he means. Run like you mean it, he says. I find it very interesting that he looks to sports for his analogy. We often have all the motivation we need for other things, don’t we? We can find time for a game, or for whatever else, when we can’t find time to walk in obedience to the one who loved us and gave Himself for us. Don’t misunderstand, this isn’t about guilting us into something. It’s about diagnosing a heart issue that the gospel can fix.
Now in verse 27 we see how Paul willed to obey God even when he wasn’t willing. He disciplined himself. Literally translated, he gave himself a knockout punch. His point is that he made a choice about how to live. He would live for God’s glory. He would be all things to all men, even when those men were mocking him, unjustly accusing him, or stoning him. Why? For the sake of the gospel. Jesus was worth it. Jesus’ message was worth it.
The reminder for me, and for all of us, is that Jesus is worthy whether I feel like it or not. I can walk in obedience even when I don’t feel like walking in obedience. I can trust His promises-that there is joy in His presence and that I’ll find that joy as I continue to obey. I can be willing even if I’m not willing. Even when the flesh screams “No!”, the new me, the real me, the eternally remade into the image of Jesus me can say “Yes”, and walk in obedience to the glory of God.

A Good Friday Prayer

The following is taken in its entirety from The Valley of Vision.

My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips

     supply words that proclaim 'Love lustres at Calvary.'

There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on thy Son,

     made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;

There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow;

     and infinite atonement was made;

There infinite punishment was due,

     and infinite punishment was endured.

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,

          cast off that I might be brought in,

          trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,

          surrendered to hell's worst that I might attain heaven's best,

          stripped that I might be clothed,

          wounded that I might be healed,

          athirst that I might drink,

          tormented that I might be comforted,

          made a shame that I might inherit glory,

          entered darkness that I might have eternal light.

My savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes

          groaned that I might have endless song,

          endured all pain that I might have unfading health,

          bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,

          bowed his head that I might uplift mine,

          experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,

          closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,

          expired that I might forever live.

O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mighest spare me,

All this transfer they love designed and accomplished;

Help me to adore thee by lips and life.

O that my breath might be ecstatic praise,

          my every step buoyant with delight as I see

               my enemies crushed,

               Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,

               sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,

               hell's gates closed,

               heaven's portal open.

Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the cross,

     mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

God is with Joseph--and with us

There’s an incredibly remarkable phrase in Genesis 39:2. The Bible says, “The Lord was with Joseph…” Taken on its own, with no context at all, that doesn’t seem to be too special. What makes it remarkable is the story that surrounds it. Back in chapter 37 we’re introduced to Joseph; he’s 17 at this time. We’re told that Joseph was his father’s favorite son and as a symbol of favored status his father gives him a very expensive, very ornately designed robe. This does not help Joseph’s standing with his brothers. In fact we’re told that they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Next we see that Joseph is a dreamer. In his dreams he’s the main character and everyone else plays a supporting role. Best of all his dreams follow a simple theme. He is exalted above his family and they bow down to him. To the surprise of no one at all, this makes his brothers hate him even more. They decide that the best course of action is to sell their brother into slavery—initially they wanted to kill him but one of his brothers convinced them to just throw him in a pit.
Now let’s just stop for a minute and consider where we are at this point—how messed up is your family if this is what happens? You’re the favorite son and you can’t shut up about how you think you’re going to run the show. Your dad makes no secret that you’re the favorite and this drives your brothers so crazy that they are ready to end your life and only the intervention of an older brother saves you. However, you’re still sold into slavery. Best of all, this is how they spin it to dad-they kill a goat and dip Joseph’s fancy robe in the blood and take it back to Jacob and say, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” Pretty heartless isn’t it?
That’s what makes 39:2 so remarkable. We’re supposed to believe that God is with him even after all he’s gone through? Surely he’s been abandoned by God, right? Or, if this is what it means to have God ‘with you’ then maybe its best to ride solo. Hang on, it gets worse. Joseph is sold to a man named Potiphar, an important official. Everything is going great until his wife notices that Joseph is pretty handsome. She begins to try and seduce him. Day after day, scripture says, she offered herself to him. Finally she accuses him of rape and he’s thrown in prison. And then we see that remarkable phrase again in 39:21, “But the Lord was with Joseph…” Again we might ask, ‘How can scripture say this? How can we say that God is with Joseph when he’s obviously not living his best life now?’ Here’s a couple things I think Joseph’s story reminds us of, very important things to keep in mind when we face the inevitable hardships of life.
--God Has a Plan. We’re going to come out of the gate with a cliché. I can hear the eyes rolling as you read that statement. But while that sounds tired and trite there’s something we have to acknowledge—God does indeed have a plan. Not necessarily a plan that involves everything going easy for you, which we’ll get to momentarily. But God isn’t up in heaven wondering how things are going to turn out. He is working out all things according  to the mystery of His good and sovereign plan. Joseph is in Egypt so that he can one day save his family from a famine; which will preserve the nation of Israel; which will one day produce Jesus. The point is that God is at work, even when our hearts are broken.
--Your Circumstances don’t Affect your Standing with God.  God is with Joseph when he’s home with his father. God is with Joseph when he’s sold into slavery. God is with Joseph when he’s in prison. I think the point God wants us to get is that He is with us. No matter what we face in life, no matter what we’re going through, God is with us. The great thing about grace is that it’s undeserved—and that’s great because if I didn’t do anything to earn it, I can’t do anything to lose it. My standing with God is not based on what I do (or don’t do). My standing with God was settled when I repented of my sins and placed my faith in the finished work of Jesus. All my sin was placed on Christ and all His righteousness was given to me. My standing before the Father, then, is as secure as Christ’s standing before the Father. So when things are good God is with me and I rejoice. When things are bad God is with me and I rejoice. What I’m going through has no bearing on where I stand with God. “But if God is with me”, we might ask, “why am I suffering?” Great question. Here’s the answer.
--God May Want You to Suffer. If there’s anything we don’t want to hear, it’s this isn’t it? Nobody likes to suffer, nobody likes to face hardship. But the reality is that God may want you to suffer. God may bring things into your life that are unpleasant. Why? The short version is that sometimes it’s correction for sin. Sometimes God is using that hardship to shape us and mold us into the image of Jesus. Sometimes it’s just because we live in a world that has been broken by sin. Scripture doesn’t always make plain why God allows suffering—look at Job’s life. Nobody ever told Job why he lost everything. The point is that the suffering we face doesn’t mean we’ve been abandoned by God. We simply must learn to accept that there is no guarantee of east in God’s kingdom. That’s a hard word. How do we learn to embrace that truth?
--God Uses Your Suffering. Now I know this sounds like a cliché but here’s the thing—God actually does use our suffering. He uses our suffering to further conform us to image of Christ. God uses our suffering to help us demonstrate to others that Jesus is greater and more glorious than anything else we face. Sometimes He uses our suffering to advance the gospel. None of those things take away the pain that we feel when we suffer. But being reminded helps us to hold fast and continue to trust even through these times. Joseph had no way of knowing it but God was using the suffering he was facing to prepare him for the place of leadership He would one day bring him to. But He had to prepare Joseph for that place. Now I know there are tons of objections to this. I imagine someone asking, “So you’re saying God allowed my heart to be broken, my family member to die, my job to be taken away from me for my good?” I would say that the answer isn’t that simplistic, and I’m certainly not insinuating that we ought to jump up and down and be happy when our hearts break. I’m saying that we have to keep in mind that God is so great and good and sovereign that even in the midst of pain and heartache and loss He is still at work in our lives, still bringing things around to a conclusion that will be for our good and His glory.
So what do we do? How do we face these times of suffering? I think Joseph shows us the answer—we continue to serve and continue to trust. Now that’s not easy to hear is it? We want something else. But here’s the reality-what else are we going to do? As I see it we have two choices-we can abandon our faith or we can cling to our faith. That’s pretty much it. We can trust in the one who loved us and gave Himself for us; we can believe that even if we don’t know what’s going on, He does. We can believe and hope and trust that He’s going to work it out for our good and His glory.
Or we can turn our back on Him. We can decide that the cost is too high and the pain too much to bear. Those are our choices. So I think it's crucial that devote ourselves to a careful meditation of the goodness of God, that we ask God to continue to reveal to us His matchless splendor so that we'll see that no matter what we face, Jesus is worth it. God has never turned His back on us, and I pray that we’ll never turn our backs on Him.