Revising History

It was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

Genesis 45:8

AT FIRST GLANCE, you’d think Joseph has an awfully short memory. “Wait a minute, Joe! Remember that day out in the fields with the coat and the cistern and the caravan, and later with the captain’s wife and the cell and the cupbearer and the crazy Pharaoh with the dreams? It was your brothers who put you through that!”

But Joseph chose to view his history through God’s eyes. Even in his darkest moments—at the bottom of a well (Genesis 37:23-24), falsely accused (Genesis 39:17-18), and forgotten in a foreign prison (Genesis 39:20)—he recognized God’s sovereign hand of protection and provision on his life. Near the end of his life, he even told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20).

It’s easy to ascribe all the blessings in our lives to God and attribute the tough times to Satan. But look again. There are lessons we can’t learn, joys we can’t experience, and knowledge of God we can’t attain until we go through the valleys of life.

Take a look back over your history, especially some of the recent tough times. The same God who was with Joseph is with you, too. When you see your life through His eyes, you, too, will say, “It was God who brought me to this place.”

BOTTOM LINE

Learn to recognize the sovereign hand of God in all your affairs—including the difficult times.

Moment of Strength: Genesis 39