Encouragement
The journey we trod upon as Christians has long been thought of as the road less traveled. This is simply because the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are blessed with so many different gifts in order to do determine what is good and bad. Our ability to discern things given to us allows us to determine what actions, thoughts and ideas make it easier for the enemy to deceive us and test our faith. Unless weare deeply rooted and hold strong and steadfast to our faith and our belief that the work has been completed for us by the death of Christ and that we are His anointed ones, the enemy can bring us through a variety of different situations that would cause us to question, doubt and even turn away from our faith and beliefs. Sometimes, we may think that God doesn’t even seem to care. That because He doesn’t answer our prayers and wave after wave, we are overwhelmed with the trials that come our way He has abandoned and forgotten us. But in reality, He is just there no matter what the season may be in our lives.
Such is the case in the story of the life of Joseph who has often been called as Joseph the Dreamer. With so many stories and even plays written about his life, everyone is somehow familiar with his life story which can be found in Genesis 37-50. The young man who, at seventeen years of age, had pretty much undergone much of the same situations that teenagers today face. While not many of us may have been sold to slavery, teenagers have at one point in their lives been thrown to their own dark hole in the ground by those surrounding them, many of whom they have placed their complete trust and faith upon. Whether it may have been friends or in the case of Joseph, members of his family, we have been there trapped in the dark empty space with no place to turn and nowhere else to go. No matter how hard we try, we just could not seem to get out of it. All this came because of a dream. In Joseph’s case, he had shared his dreams that one day all of his brothers would bow down to him. While it is rare that we experience these kinds of dreams, oftentimes the root of many conflicts between teenagers and their families remain rooted in dreams. How many of us are currently pursuing a course in college that we do not like but have no choice because it is our parents’ wishes? How many times have we tried to seek the help of those within our families to convince them that we do not want to become doctors and engineers like our parents and siblings have become? How many times have our very families scoffed at our dreams and even threaten us because our apparent “illusions of grandeur” are not what they had expected and wanted from us?
Perhaps what we as teenagers go through as we face conflict after conflict about our own dreams and aspirations have caused us to wonder why is this happening to us? While the Bible clearly describes the events as to how Joseph had been sold to the merchants that came along the way of his brothers as he remained in the dark pit, we can only guess what was going through his mind at that moment in time. Maybe he was praying for deliverance. Perhaps he was kicking himself from the inside why he just didn’t keep his big mouth shut. Regardless on whatever was going through his head, God knew what was going through the minds of his brothers. Knowing that his brothers meant to kill him, He delivered Joseph from this fate by offering his brothers something that they cannot refuse: a means to get rid of their brother once and for all AND make a profit out of it.
For a time, Joseph lived a happy and prosperous life in Egypt as a servant to Potiphar, an officer in the army of the Pharaoh of Egypt. But just when things are getting better, fate would seem to have that everything Joseph had worked hard for are taken away from him, leaving him ridiculed, destroyed and ashamed. The saddest thing about it is that these things happened to him when he did the right thing to do. We pretty much know the story. Potiphar’s wife had fallen head over heels in lust for Joseph. With her husband usually away, she figured that Joseph would be able to fill the emptiness Potiphar often leaves her to deal with day by day. Day after day, night after night, Potiphar’s wife did everything she could conjure up for Joseph to sleep with her. Yet, Joseph remained faithful to his word and the trust given to him by Potiphar. What happens next resembles the plot in a prime time soap opera. After numerous failed attempts on the part of Potiphar’s wife (who definitely would have felt extremely humiliated for lack of a better term), she decided to make herself feel better for the shame that she had brought upon herself by creating an elaborate accusation that Joseph raped her complete with the props.
Though Joseph tried his best to defend himself and explain, his voice was naturally left unheard. Between the accusations of his wife versus the explanations of his servant, it was just natural and expected that Potiphar listened to his wife. As a result of the false accusation, Joseph was, once again, thrown into a dark place where his future remained uncertain. You probably may be thinking, “Sorry, I can’t relate this to part.” Maybe you may have never been accused of something that severe. But we, as teenagers, have had our share of false accusations. How many times have we been branded by those people close to us simply because of the friends we hang out with, the clothes we wear, the music we listen to? How many times have we tried to explain to our parents that we are not what they thought we are turning out to be, yet no amount of explanation changed their outlook towards us? We may not have known of what it is like being thrown into a physical prison. But, their outlook towards us has, at some point, thrown us back into that dismal abyss. We end up hating ourselves and even questioning God why is it that no matter how hard you try to become a good son or daughter living up to your parents’ expectation, nothing seems to turn out right.
During this low point in your tender age, two things are sure to happen: the first is the most common. We surrender to the pressure, the pain and the situations we find ourselves in. Surrendering and succumbing to the battle by simply saying “I might as well do the things that they accuse me of. That way, the next time that they call my attention about it, it is because it is true.” The second is the harder and more difficult route. This was the path that Joseph had taken. Despite the false accusation, the betrayal and the subsequent punishment for something that he did not do, he remain steadfast and clung to his faith and to God.
At such a tender age, Joseph surrendered his fate to God, fully trusting Him that He had saved him once and for sure, He will save him again. Indeed, God did. In the end, not only did God return everything that Joseph had lost as a result of the betrayal and false accusation placed upon him by Potiphar’s wife. God elevated him to a position, making him the most powerful man in Egypt, next to the Pharaoh himself. Moreover, God made Joseph’s dream a reality. When famine struck Egypt and the areas surrounding it, it had caused his brothers to head to Egypt to purchase food. When they saw him, they did the very thing that they had earlier claimed that they would never do: bow down to their brother.
The story of Joseph is not an isolated incident in the Bible. There are many other heroes in the Old Testament that have experienced the same torment, anguish and eventual redemption and exaltation brought about their unwavering faith and trust in God. If we look closely at their situations, it could have been a lot easier if they had just succumbed to the temptations surrounding them. If Joseph had given in to Potiphar’s wife, chances are he would not have been thrown into prison. He might have even gotten some extra favors to make his life so much easier. But, he stuck to what he knew was the right thing to do. He knew that by doing this, he would have disappointed God who had once saved him and provided for him everything that he currently had.
Just as God had a special plan for Joseph, He has a special plan that He had formulated for each and every one of us long before we have ever been born. Growing up is never easy and when you are a teenager, the trials and tribulations that come never ceases to end. But, these trials are but part of our growth as His children, His anointed ones. Oftentimes, these can be extremely overwhelming that putting your faith in God seems to be harder and harder. Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, realized this. This is why he encourages us to remain steadfast. “We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The One who made the promise is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 God’s Word Version). What happened to Joseph is something that can be thought of as something that is highly unlikely to happen. After all, what were the odds that a convict who had been accused of breaking the trust of an officer of the Pharaoh’s army by allegedly raping his wife not only be pardoned, but also given more responsibility and trust by the most powerful man in the land? But it just goes to show the wonders and benefits that are waiting for us for as long as we remain faithful to God no matter what may come our way.
Nobody promised that the journey we take as young Christians would be easy, but it is definitely going to be worth every tear we shed and every trial we bear. As we wait for God’s perfect time for His wonderful plan to unfold, we can find words of encouragement and inspiring stories in His Word. It is undoubtedly not easy to just simply let go and surrender everything to God, especially when trials come our way. But it is the only way that God would be able to work and do wonders in your life and allow you to accomplish things that you have never thought you would be able to do. He is just waiting for you to give Him the go signal. Will you?
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that might fine-tune your piece.
Consider using less words to make your point.
For example: "he journey we trod upon"is awkward and unclear. This might be a better and more succinct way to say it: "Our Christian journey has long been thought of as the road less traveled..." This says what you wish to convey with fewer wordage; and easier to read.
Don't forget to edit your writing as you go along. I noticed -"weare" and "That because when you meant "we are" and That's because." Back to using less words to say the same thing. When you write a sentence, think of how many ways it could be written with fewer words. The shortest way, is usually the best way. Rewriting polishes you piece and makes for an easier read. Although, I am not a professional editor, I hope this has helped.
that might fine-tune your piece.
Consider using less words to make your point.
For example: "he journey we trod upon"is awkward and unclear. This might be a better and more succinct way to say it: "Our Christian journey has long been thought of as the road less traveled..." This says what you wish to convey with fewer wordage; and easier to read.
Don't forget to edit your writing as you go along. I noticed -"weare" and "That because when you meant "we are" and That's because." Back to using less words to say the same thing. When you write a sentence, think of how many ways it could be written with fewer words. The shortest way, is usually the best way. Rewriting polishes you piece and makes for an easier read. Although, I am not a professional editor, I hope this has helped.