GraceFox

Yesterday I wrote about God being in control of every detail of Ruth’s life. He orchestrated events to fulfill His eternal purpose. I see the same is true for Joseph, although his circumstances looked much different (Psalm 105:16-22).

I wonder how Joseph felt after his brothers threw him into the pit? What were his thoughts as they sold him into slavery? What was he thinking when he was falsely accused of rape and thrown into jail? How did he feel when “they bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar” (v. 18)? Was he aware of God’s presence with him, or did he feel as though he’d been abandoned by the Divine? In the end, he says that what man intended for evil, God meant for good, and he acknowledged God’s role in his circumstances. What an amazing attitude!

When life gets rough, it’s easy for us to forget that God controls every detail. When we don’t see the bigger picture, it’s easy for us to fall into self-pity or anger or blame. Sometimes I have to consciously remind myself that God is sovereign…at all times. His purposes are far beyond my understanding.

When the details of life don’t fall into place as I wish they would, I’m forced with a choice: get stressed out, or rest in the knowledge that God is in control. The first option causes me to wrestle; the second allows me to nestle.

Can you relate?