Gospel

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*Isaiah 48:10 Behold I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. -- KJB

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In the Book of Genesis, Joseph's situation was dire. Betrayed and almost killed by his own siblings because of jealousy. He was just a teenager when they decided to spare his life and sell him into slavery instead. It must have been horrifying to Joseph when his own siblings turned on him like wild animals.

But the Lord's hand was upon Joseph. Although he was a slave, the Lord gave him favor in the eyes of those around him. The Lord was all that Joseph had and that was more than enough. The Lord blessed the work of Joseph's hands as he worked hard to keep his mind off the pain.

But just when he thought he was climbing out of the pit of despair his brother's had placed him in, along comes Potiphar's wife. Because he rejected her advances, she lied on him and he was thrown into prison for something he did not do. How much more could Joseph take?

When life begins to feel like you've taken a turn for the worse, don't lose hope. I can tell you from my own experiences of being rejected and outcast by the very people who were suppose to love me - family. The Lord takes these very difficult situations and begins to refine us in the furnace of afflictions. "What they meant for evil, God will use for good." Even in prison, Joseph kept his mind on the work at hand, developing his skills and talents. And the Lord continued to give him favor and bless the work of his hands.

So never give up when things seem to take a turn for the worse. Continue to work at life and the Lord will see you through. He will not place any more upon us than we can bare. The Lord knows how much we can take. But rarely do we know. So there may be times we have to find out just how much we can bare. These are life's exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles of our faith in God.

Ultimately Joseph's character was sharpened in the fire of life's trials. And the Lord raised him up from the pit to the palace. "And Joseph became the second most powerful man in all of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh himself." And the Lord blessed him with his own family and even restored the loss of his original family also. The Lord will give back the years that were stolen.

So when life gets really tough, ask yourself - What could the Lord be preparing me for? Greatness comes at a price and sometimes we must go through the fire to be molded into the character that is required for true greatness. Dark days can lead to an even brighter future. Let the Lord be your light and He will guide you through every valley of darkness.


© 2009

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