But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21 (NIV)
God’s ways can seem confusing at times, Amen? He has warned us that His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. The Prophet Isaiah pens God’s Words in Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV): “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We should not be surprised if we often do not understand the moving of His Hand or what He allows in the lives of His heirs of mercy.
What we can know and claim from Scripture is that all He allows in the lives of His children will be used for their ultimate good. The thing itself may not be good but it will be used for our ultimate good. That is the promise of Romans 8:28 (NIV): “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And He uses everything He allows to conform us into the image of His Son Who was to be the firstborn among many brothers – His thoughts and intentions towards us are fixed and established and good and pleasing and perfect even if we cannot readily discern it. God is a Master of making beauty out of our ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Look what He did with the cross of Christ - the beauty which ensued from the cross was bringing many men to glory. Indeed, that is what Jesus set His eyes on with joy to endure this horrific injustice Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV) tells us: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Oftentimes, life is just pure hard, right? Yet God is faithful to walk with us through it taking us from “strength to strength” as we depend upon Him and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit within. We keep our eyes fixed on Jesus – the Author and Perfecter of our faith and we go forth in His strength and for His glory and our good as we continually place our problems in His all powerful hands. Always remembering, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Sometimes just the simplest words and truths are the most profound and important.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)