Ten Miles Of Bad Road

18Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."
Genesis 50: 18 - 20 NKJV

Some might confuse the christian life as days of wine and roses.  I am not so naive.  Yes, we're saved and our sins have been forgiven, but this christian life is far from a party.  Far from it, for we often suffer the same setbacks, crisis and life events as those around us.  Indeed, to be a follower of Christ Jesus does not give us a pass on lifes chaotic events.  On the contrary, we may often have a rougher row to hoe than most others.  One may ask just how God could provide for us such trying circumstances.  Haven't we sacraficed enough already?  I mean, it's no easy gig being a christian in this fallen world.  With persecutions and life events, we've certainly got our hands full.  You may often stop and think that life is way too much for one person to handle.  Well, life was not meant for us to go through on our own.  On the contrary, this life which we live was meant to be lived in the presence of our heavenly Father.  For we are not independent, but creations of the most high.  There is absolutely nothing about us which is independent from God.  For in Him we have our being {Acts 17: 28}.  So, just how are we to approach a life which will surely bring us pain and trouble?  Well, we could certainly ask Joseph, one of the patriarchs of the old testament.  In their jealousy, Josephs brothers beat him and sold him to some traveling slave traders.  What was Josephs crime?  He simply related a dream to his brothers in which he explained that they would one day bow down to him.  Of course it all came true, but not before God worked through Joseph to accomplish what He wanted done.  How did Joseph react to his brothers treachery?  God worked through him there also.  As his brothers stood before him at his mercy, Joseph calmed their fears, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."

2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces apatience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1: 2 - 8 NKJV

More than a few times I've come across the first chapter of the book of James and slammed my bible closed!  Count it all joy?  Was I to count these persecutions, ugliness and disrespect from others as joy?  Absolutely!  What about God?  Was I to count those times when things didn't go the way I wanted as joy?  Absolutely!  I recently found myself in a two hour conversation with my heavenly Father about why He would not provide a employment opportunity which I so desired.  Why didn't He answer me?  Did I do something wrong?  Whether it was His revelation or me simply recalling that story of Joseph and his brothers, there was a gentle reminder that my situation was not over, not by a long shot.  What others meant for evil, God meant for good.  From my human perspective, it surely looked like I had been ignored by God.  But we simply cannot view God from the filter of our human perspective because that is not Gods arena.  We are not privy to the behind the scenes activity which God is so often accomplishing on our own behalf.  However, we can rest assured that whatever it is, it will be to His glory.  Those of us who are not parents may not understand the often gentle yet sometimes heavy handed guidance which a parent uses to teach and guide a child.  There are times when a gentle approach simply will not get the message across.  I say this not to advocate discipline, but to illustrate just how it is that our heavenly Father guides His children along this pathway of life.  In the moment we may not understand, but as time passes His plans for us will be revealed.  In that day we will count it all joy.

Temptations hidden snare
Often takes us unaware
And our hearts were meant to bleed
For every thoughtless word and deed
And we wonder why the test
When we try to do our best
But we'll understand it better BY AND BY
~By And By - Bill Gaither~

~Scott~