Have you ever found yourself frustrated with the Lord because you are doing what He wants you to do only to have your life circumstances shift for the worse?
I have friends facing tough choices right now.
If they do the right thing, it will cost them dearly.
Well, we are in good company with the saints of old, especially Joseph.
Here’s a guy who genuinely wanted to do the right thing and walk with the Lord.
In fact, his brothers hated him for being a ‘do gooder’ and especially for being Daddy’s favorite.
He ratted them out and they hated him for it.
He did the right thing and it led to their choice to sell him to the Ishmaelites who sold him to Potipher.
I am sure there was an internal battle in Joseph.
What the heck Lord, I did the right thing and You let this happen?
Well, he kept doing the right thing and rose to chief steward of Potipher’s household.
All the while, he is learning all kinds of administrative and leadership skills.
Then Potipher’s wife notices how handsome he is and tries to entice him into adultery.
He refuses.
He flees lust; he does the right thing.
The result: jail.
He is unjustly put in jail.
Again, the battle rages.
Life has gone from bad to worse.
He continues to do the right thing and gets put into a position of responsibility for other prisoners.
The Lord is coordinating all of this so that when Pharaoh’s cup bearer and baker have their dreams,
Joseph is there to accurately interpret them.
Two years pass and Pharoah has his infamous dream of famine.
Joseph, in one day, goes from prisoner to second in command of all of Egypt so that God could use him to save his family and many others as well.
He did not understand any of the ‘whys’ until his brothers showed up to buy food.
Once he saw the why, he was empowered to forgive their choice to sell him.
He saw clearly that what they meant for evil God meant for good in sending him ahead of them to save their lives.
Beloved, we must purpose to do what He tells us to do, when He tells us to do it, in His strength for His glory no matter the short terms consequences.
In the end, it will all make sense.
Keep doing the next right thing!
Blessings!
Robyn Henning