Part- 4 Reflection
Remarkable story of a man who triumphed against all odds!! We can relate to many aspects of his life. Some of us may have experienced misunderstandings or betrayals from people closest to us as Joseph did or perhaps, we have been falsely accused or there were times when people reciprocated ungratefully for the kindness extended to them. Through Joseph’s story, we can recognize and understand some impressive truths about God.
1. God has a plan and a purpose for our life (Jeremiah 29:11)– As an omniscient God, he knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. Amidst the unexpected trials, Joseph could not foresee the amazing destiny that awaited him.
2. God works everything for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28)-Joseph’s brothers sought to destroy him. So did Potiphar’s wife. But they ended up fulfilling what God had destined. God is able to turn every miserable and humiliating experience to our advantage.
3. God has set a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1)- Joseph could not hasten the time of his deliverance. Even after correctly interpreting the dreams of the prisoners, he had to endure two additional years of imprisonment before he was finally liberated.
4. God tests and delivers us (1 Peter 5:6)- In the wheel of life, God permits both times of testing and deliverance. Joseph encountered several agonizing moments when his faith in God was tested; being sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongfully accused by Potiphar’s wife, the cupbearer failing to reciprocate his favor, but the day did finally dawn when God not just delivered him from his troubles but exalted him mightily as well.
5. God wants us to remain in his favor (Sirach 51:30)- Think of how differently salvation history would have turned out if Joseph had allowed his youthful passions or feelings of hatred and revenge to get the better of him. Would he have been reunited with his father? Would he have received his father’s blessings? Unless we are sincere in our desire to do God’s will and remain in his favour, He cannot unfold his plans for us or bless us.
6. God uses our past to shape our future-Twice, Joseph was assigned the job of supervision, firstly at Potiphar’s house and then while he was in prison. This expertise helped him in his later years to ably supervise the entire land of Egypt. God shapes our everyday experiences and transforms it into victories and blessings for our future.
7. God will never abandon us (Deuteronomy 31:6)- Joseph would have felt lonely and abandoned very often in this journey. Yet God was always in charge of the situation and only He knew why he had permitted these trials. The presence and the grace of God is all we need to face our future.
Yes, my dear brothers and sisters, when life throws these unseen challenges, let us continue to trust God deeply, knowing and believing that we will encounter his faithfulness at every such turn.
Concluded
A personal sharing- Being academically inclined, I envisioned myself as a career woman. But God had an alternate plan for my life!! He spoke through my trials and the circumstances of my life and taught me the importance of building a personal relationship with Him first. I learnt to sit at his feet and listen to his voice (Luke 10:39). My childhood hobby of reading came in handy as I began spending my leisure moments to read the Bible, scriptural magazines and other Christian/Catholic publications. I was content to be a homemaker. In His time, God opened the door to join my parish prayer group and the discipleship course. A year later I started writing Scripture based articles, leading praise and worship and occasionally teaching at the discipleship classes and serving Him in that ministry.
I also went through ups and downs just like Joseph, but on hindsight, I believe it was all a preparation for my future service in the Lord’s vineyard to enable me to share all the valuable lessons that I had gained in the process with others aspiring to be His disciples. Indeed, God worked everything for my good!