Tuesday nights are my accountability group night. I am fortunate in the fact that my senior pastor's wife is a member of our group and always shares great in-sight into God's Word and shares what is going on in her own life. Tonight she was sharing a few verses that have stuck out to her over this last week and she mentioned Genesis 39:21 that says, "But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him His faithful love." She told us that this verse made her realize that God is always with us during our darkest times.
At first I didn't think much of it, but as I was sitting there it began to sink in, and during my car ride home it began to grab a hold of me.
Let me give you some background.
This last week, Jeff and I had our entire house re-carpeted, which meant that we had to move EVERYTHING out of the house so that the carpet could be laid down properly. This meant that we had to take apart our bed and sleep on our Aero-Bed. We had to clear everything out of our kids rooms, our bathrooms and everything in between. Our house was in shambles, our normal routines were messed up and none of were getting any sleep.
Once everything was put back into place and we were all able to get some rest God began to reveal to me how much I rely on "things" for my happiness. I was really convicted because I saw the kind of person I became when just a few minor conveniences were taken away for just a short amount of time.
Unfortunately, God was not done with me.
This past week Jeff went to Texas to explore the possibility of him finding a job there. I guess, truth be told, I was hoping for a miracle and for Him to open the doors and Jeff to come home with a brand new job and everything be worked out.....the end.
Well, my husband did not come home with a job and I immediately went into panic mode. I really tried not to, but my human nature took over and I gave in. I have gone through the entire range of emotions that we women possess. Fear. Anger. Guilt.
But tonight, God held my hand and helped me to remember that He is still here.
I knew this time of "waiting" was going to come. I knew it. I just didn't think it was going to be this hard.
God had an amazing life planned out for Joseph. A life of dining with royalty and amazing responsibility, but it wasn't all fun and games. Joseph had to endure the "dark part of the path". A place were things don't go the way you planned them to. A place where God may be silent for a season. A place were it is dark and unfamiliar and there seems to be no one around.
Maybe things in your life are not going exactly as you hoped they would. Maybe you are in your dark part of the path as well. We all need to take comfort in the fact that God is still here with us. I know this is a very cliche saying, but " He is more interested in our character than our comfort". God had to mold Joseph in the rough times so that he (Joseph) could come through for Him in the great moments. I mean, who else could have had the strength to forgive his dead-beat brothers than a man who had to forgive the women who put him in jail for something he didn't do. I have always heard it said, "You are in the light who you are in the shadows".
During this time in my life I am learning that my comforts are not what should give me emotional stability. My circumstances should not determine my happiness. God is here in the dark places, ready to change me into the person He needs me to be for the next fifty years.
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