Understanding My Story and Success are About God, not me.
Let's pull up a comfy chair, wrap our hands around a cup of hot chocolate (coffee will work), and flip our Bibles open to Genesis chapter 41 (first book of the Bible if you are new to Scripture) where we'll catch a glimpse of the latest episode in Joseph's fascinating saga.
Redemption!
Joseph awoke to a day just like yesterday and the day before and the day before that.
One more day of fulfilling his leadership duties in prison.
As the day progresses, he hears someone call him.
"Are you the Joseph who interprets dreams?"
"With God's help."
"Come with me."
Rushed from the dungeon, he is allowed to shave and put on clean clothes.
Now he is ushered into the presence of Pharaoh.
Suddenly.
Sovereignly.
Joseph's life changed that day.
As rapidly as life turned south thirteen years prior when his brothers tossed him into a pit, his life changes again.
And, as speedily as life changed when falsely accused and sent to prison, Joseph's life makes another sudden shift - but for good this time.
By the end of the day, he is second in command of Egypt.
He has a new job.
One requiring all the skills he has been learning during his season of obscurity.
On the outside, he appears to be an "overnight success".
In truth, God was preparing Joseph for this moment.
What a joyful day in the life of Joseph!
Joseph's response to success...
Joseph's responses are vital to our understanding this portion of his story.
When Pharaoh mentions Joseph interprets dreams, Joseph's immediate reply is "it is not me; God will give Pharaoh an answer..." (Gen. 41:16)
The posture of Joseph's heart is one that gives all the credit and glory to God.
It reminds me of John 3:30
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Once Joseph interprets the dreams, Pharaoh declares "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" (v. 38)
The Spirit of God on Joseph was obvious to all and that is what caused Pharaoh to promote him.
Moving forward we see some relief in Joseph's circumstances.
Welcome as they are, Joseph's story is about so much more than circumstances.
In this joyful moment of redemption, Joseph begins to see God has been preparing him for something much bigger than having his brothers bow down to him. Often our dream is only a sliver of the full picture. ("For we know in part, and we prophesy in part." 1 Corinthians 13:9)
Joseph could never have orchestrated the series of events that brought him to the palace - and prepared him for the position and power he would experience.
He knew it.
He understood only the faithfulness and sovereignty of God could bring about this miraculous occurrence.
The power of testimony...
In our "all about me" culture, you can imagine how the story would read today.
From prison to palace!
Joseph's social media pages blowing up with his before and after photos.
Best rags-to-riches story ever!
Thankfully, Joseph completely ignored the opportunity to make this about him.
In fact, Joseph testifies of God's goodness even in the naming of his children...
"Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh.
'For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house.'
And the name of the second he called Ephraim:
'For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.'"
Genesis 41:51-52
Joseph's redemptive testimony isn't about his success and promotion to the palace.
Joseph's testimony is about God taking the enemy's plans and using them for His purposes.
Joseph's testimony is about God turning years of pain into preparation for the future - a future God prepared for Joseph.
Joseph's story and success are all about God.
Dawn Cherie Wilkerson puts it this way:
"Your testimony is the ever-expanding story of the faithfulness of God!"
Yes!
Every battle fought and every victory won is about the story of God's faithfulness!
For Joseph.
For you.
For me.
Our story is about God's story of redemption for mankind. He is speaking through our lives - our successes and even our failures - to announce His message of love to this world.
At the end of our story, we will join the psalmist in declaring...
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing:
You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy."
Psalm 30:11 (BSB)
Surely this is how Joseph felt as his story was redeemed!
Bringing it home...
I'm embarrassed and ashamed to confess that all too often when God gives me a dream, I think it's about me.
How God wants to use me.
What God wants to do for me and through me.
How God plans to bless me.
Way too much me!
Surely even Joseph felt some of that when at the age of 17, he first dreamed of his brothers bowing to him.
But as we draw back looking at the bigger picture, for each of us committed to obeying Jesus, our stories and successes are also about Him and His Story.
Joseph relayed God's story well because He gave God the glory.
Amidst a pagan society, he proclaimed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the One who helped him interpret dreams, the One who relieved his toil and the One who increased his fruitfulness.
I believe, like Joseph, our readiness to walk out the dream God has prepared for us is much determined by the posture of our hearts.
We see Joseph
Remaining faithful
Walking in integrity and purity
Allowing God to work out His will in His way and in His timing
And giving God ALL the glory
Giving God the glory is key.
It's a reminder that Joseph's story isn't about him.
Joseph's success isn't about him.
Joseph's story and success are all about God.
Our stories will also be about God as we walk faithfully and give Him all the glory!
Our stories will also be about God as we walk faithfully and give Him all the glory!
In closing...
Wherever you are currently in your own story, it's always a good time to give God glory.
He will turn your mourning into dancing and your sorrow into joy!
Your story is about His story.
And He is faithful!
This is How We Overcome (He Has Turned)
Many blessings,
Kathy Ann
コメント