Lifeਨਮੂਨਾ

Life in the midst of your challenges

Joseph has 10 brothers. As the youngest, he is the favorite of Jacob, his father. He likes this role. His brothers notice this and hate him for it. They dislike his arrogant manner. When he visits them in the field, their chance has come. Now they can take revenge for all the humiliations of the past few years. At first, they plan to kill him. But his eldest brother prevents the worst from happening. Joseph is sold to foreign traders. The favorite son becomes a house slave in a foreign country. Falsely accused, he ends up in prison shortly afterward. When he interprets a dream to Pharaoh's servant, it comes true shortly afterward. The servant is released. Joseph hopes that he will put in a good word for him. Nothing happens. He is forgotten. Years later, when Joseph is now 30 years old, God once again uses a dream. Joseph succeeds in explaining the meaning to Pharaoh. Overnight, he is freed and becomes the second most powerful man in Egypt.

Every life has its struggles. Surely, yours does too. Like Joseph, some challenges are self-inflicted. Others are not your fault. Maybe you've often thought that things couldn't get any worse. And it did get worse. Fear, worry, stress, and pain keep you trapped. It seems as if everyone has forgotten about you. What you don't see is that God is already at work behind the scenes. He is about to change you, your character, and your circumstances. God uses difficulties to renew Joseph from the inside out. When he later has the chance to take revenge on his brothers, this change becomes clear.

"You intended to harm me," he says, "but God intended it for good." Over the years, Joseph has learned humility. He realized that God was pursuing his own plan despite all the challenges.

Change takes time. Don't let circumstances discourage you. God is fighting your battles with you. He has a plan for you. Trust him. You are not alone.