Trust in the Lord Always and Again I Say Rejoice

So last night I was rereading the story of Joseph. Everytime I read it, I just shake my head at Joseph when it gets to the part about him telling his family about his dream. His brothers were already so jealous of him, yet he had to go and tell them about how in his dream they were bowing to him. We all know how the story goes, his brothers sell him into slavery, he then has a run in with Potiphar's wife which lands him in prison, and then eventually he interprets a dream for Pharaoh and then he gets placed into a position that when his brothers come asking for food during the famine they have to bow to him.

As I read the story again last night, I got to thinking about Joseph's life. He seemed to have it all, afteral he was the favorite son of Jacob. He was probably a pretty spoiled kid. Probably got a way with a lot of things. Then he has this awesome dream which God pretty tells him he will rule over his brothers. All of a sudden, all that is taken away from him. He gets put in a pit and sold into slavery. Of course he works his way up the food chain, but just as he's towards the top, Potiphar's wife gets in the way and he gets pushed back down that totem pole. He lands in prison, happens to interpret two dreams for two men. The interpretations come true. The one who is still alive forgets all about Joseph until Pharaoh has a dream that needs to be interpreted. And then suddenly Joseph comes right back on top and interprets the dream and lands a nice powerful position.

All this time, I can only imagine what was going on in Joseph's head. Here he had a promise from God, yet it seemed nothing was working out for him. How easy it must have been to lose faith and trust in God especially in the time he was in the pit or in prison. At least I know that is where I would have struggled. I always pride myself in being able to see the positive side of things, but where is the positive in being thrown into a pit by your brothers? Maybe that he could have been murdered so the fact he was still alive was good? There isn't really any detail in the Bible story as to what was going through Joseph's mind, but what we do know is that God was there for him. He was there for him in that pit. He was there for him in prison. He was there for him when he was a servant. He was there for him when he worked for Pharaoh. In the end, God was faithful in his promise to Joseph.

How many times in our own lives do we hear the promises of God, yet because we have those days (weeks, months, or years) where we are down in that pit, we lose our trust and hope in God? I have always found it easy to tell myself and others around me, "God is always faithful. He has proven Himself faithful in the past, and He will continue so in the future." But trusting in that is another thing. Last year I went to Kenya on a missions trip. Towards the end of my time there we got to witness a shooting and then riots right outside where we were staying. The night it happened we went out to eat right after the shooting. When we got ready to head back, we were told there were riots, gun fire, rocks being thrown, tear gas, the works... When they decided it would be ok for us to head back because we were going to be escorted by the tourist police (keep in mind the riots were people rioting against the police and government), I lost it. I was an emotional wreck. All I kept thinking is, "I'm going to die a brutal death and not get the chance to tell my parents goodbye." I was scared to death. On our way back that evening everyone was scared (although I think I was in the worst shape out of everyone, basically balling in the back seat of that van). We decided in our van to sing worship songs on our way because when the Israelites went to war, they'd send those who sang hymns out first to lead the way. Amongst the worshiping, there was also tons of prayer. Towards the end of the drive God suddenly asked me, "Amanda, what were you just telling those students earlier today before you left?" "I told them to remember that you have been faithful to them in the past and that you will continue to be faithful to your promises so to keep trusting in you..." "And what are you currently doing?" "Not listening to my own advice" And right then admist that conviction of my heart, I suddenly felt peace. I was able to give God all my trust in the situation. I think because all this time in my life, I've had other people to trust alongside God. This was the first time God was all who I could trust and rely on. Definitely a life changing experience.

Psalm 40:1-2 "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."