When the Going Gets Tough . . .

My trial: my oldest, sweetest horse had to be put down today . . . which got me thinking about trials and difficulties in general.

And, part of today's scheduled Bible reading was from Genesis 36 through 39. There is a lot of information in these passages. Joseph's imprisonment by his brothers and deportation into slavery in Egypt is briefly interrupted by the graphic and bizarre account of Judah, another of Jacob's sons, and his anonymous, illicit relationship with his widowed daughter-in-law, resulting in the birth of twin boys, Perez and Zerah. Their story is significant because it highlights the origins of the line of Judah and his illegitimate son, Perez, both of whom would be instrumental in the lineage of the Messiah. After this narrative, Joseph's story resumes with the account of his servitude in Potiphar's house until the mistress of the house sends him to prison on false charges of sexual harassment and assault, when in fact she had attempted to seduce him numerous times, only to be rejected by Joseph's unwavering commitment to righteousness before God.

Look at Joseph's life: his mother died when he was very young. His father loved him, but this special love made his brothers hate him. They wanted to kill him, but instead opted to sell him as a slave. Can you imagine how frightening that would be--to have your own siblings plotting your murder? As a slave in a foreign country, Joseph serves, without pay or chance of being free, in Potiphar's house. The LORD is with Joseph, and all that he does prospers--how wonderful! Alas, the "good circumstances" change swiftly and unjustly because of one selfish, sinful woman. Potiphar's wife was guilty of all manner of seductive sins--the Bible says she tried to allure him "day after day," being bold and brazen and doing everything she could to snag him. In her wickedness, it must have been humiliating to be rejected by a righteous man--who was also a slave. Instead of repenting, her pricked conscience causes her to lash out in an attempt to cover up her own sins by accusing Joseph of the very sins of which she was guilty!

And, what happens? God speaks to Potiphar in a dream, tells him his wife is a cheating crook and not to believe her, but to give Joseph double honor for his integrity, and Joseph prospers and earns his freedom, and a big shiny medal of good conduct, and . . . . . . wait. That's not how the story goes at all.

Joseph actually gets thrown into prison for a crime he never committed, with no hope for a trial or release. Can you imagine how dark and despairing that cell must have seemed? Where was God? Why didn't he vindicate the innocent? Where was justice?!

Well, God had a much, much bigger plan.

We know the rest of the story, how God uses Joseph instrumentally to redeem the house of Israel in the dark days of famine that are yet to come. But Joseph didn't know this. God didn't tell him what was going on. Joseph lived by faith, and I think we can safely agree that his trials were much bigger than yours and mine. Remember, he was only a teenager. I'm sure he would have much preferred to stay in Canaan, marry a nice girl, raise sheep and have a normal life. But that was not his calling. You and I have callings, too. Ours may well be to live that quiet life in submission to the Holy Spirit, perhaps someday by the side of a righteous man and raise up a family for the glory of God. Or, you may be called to any number of other tasks. You probably won't feel 100% confident, it may be entirely against your plans, and you may feel like life is actually taking a serious turn for the worse and your circumstances are spiraling out of your control. Good--they were never in your control to begin with. Surrender the future to the One who sees it already, and be willing to live through dark and confusing days with faith that your struggling is not in vain. Remember Joseph, forgotten and forsaken by all, but loved, remembered, and blessed by God.

So shall it be for us, if we walk by faith. :)