Joseph: A Story of Reconciliation and Emotional HealingSample

We’ve seen how Joseph’s dreams back in Canaan upset his family and led to a downward spiral of events, ending with slavery in Egypt. But now, a new series of dreams—those of two fellow prisoners and, eventually, of Pharaoh himself—will change the trajectory of Joseph’s life again, this time for the better. Remember, Joseph’s ability to dream and interpret dreams is a gift from God himself. The purpose of this gift is to understand what God is saying and what has yet to take place. Sometimes, when God gives us a gift, we may not understand the reason right away. We may see the effects of the gift (e.g., Joseph's dreams at 17 years old), but we may not see the purpose of the gift until years later (e.g., Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream that saves a whole nation from famine). God gives good gifts to his people for his purposes. And with those gifts come the necessity to steward them faithfully, to use them with integrity under pressure, and to deploy them alongside God’s purposes rather than our own. Joseph learns how to steward his gift over the course of many hard years and it provides him a ticket out of prison. Because of his gift and his wise use of it, Joseph gains not only his freedom, but also authority, power, and pretty much anything else he could want. He even marries and has two sons—a family of his own to ease the pain inflicted by his family in Canaan. Most importantly, his gift positions him to preserve countless lives during a famine. In all of this, Joseph recognizes something: his gift doesn’t belong to him. Each time an opportunity arises to interpret someone’s dream—even as he stands before Pharaoh—Joseph clarifies that his ability to interpret dreams come directly from God. As God elevates Joseph in the eyes of an entire nation, we watch him steward his gift in a way that elevates the eyes of the people toward the God who speaks through dreams and preserves life. At times, we may be tempted to misuse our gifts if we don’t have the quality of character to sustain them. Or, if we haven’t begun the journey of healing from past wounds, those wounds can leave scars on our hearts that threaten to corrupt the gifts God has given us to use for good. But, we can steward our gifts well when we believe at our core that the greatest gift is our connection with the Lord. Because he is with us, we need not claim any special ability as our own, and we need not hold onto any gift with a white-knuckled grip, thinking it will provide us the security or validation we crave. Everything belongs to the Lord, and what we need is in his hands. Because he cares for us, we can hold our gifts with open hands and use them as he instructs us. Under God’s administration, our gifts can be the vehicle through which he blesses, restores, and provides for countless people. REFLECT What gifts or unique abilities has God given you, and how can they be a blessing to others? How can you guard against misusing your gift? Where can you grow in your connection with and dependence upon the Lord?