Patience Is A Virtue
Joseph's life contains many lessons for us, as believers. As I began reading his story in Genesis 37, I was reminded of his patience. For most of us it is very hard to develop patience. In Joseph's life and in our own lives patience is not produced over night. We can't just pray for patience and receive a huge dose. Patience comes by trusting God one day at a time no matter how difficult life's road becomes.
Joseph's brothers hated him. They envied him because Jacob loved him more than the rest of his sons. Finally, they sold him into slavery. They meant it for evil. They were taking out their hatred and envy of Joseph by getting rid of him. I can't imagine how much all of this must have hurt Joseph. Yet, he remained faithful to God. He did not give up on God because of the actions of people. He did not get angry with God for allowing these things to happen to him. He continued to live in righteousness, even in the worst of circumstances. He patiently waited for God to deliver him, and in the meantime he made the best of his situations in life.
Joseph's patience is a prescription for success in life. No matter how long God takes to work out His will for us, we must be assured it is His will, and it will come in His timing. We can't push God or require Him to give us something better. He is in control, so we submit and wait. All the while He continues to bless us while we suffer persecution and pain. He is with us all of the way. It doesn't matter how bad life gets, when we have the Lord to comfort and cheer us, we can wait on Him to bring us out of the crises of life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 39-42
Joseph's brothers hated him. They envied him because Jacob loved him more than the rest of his sons. Finally, they sold him into slavery. They meant it for evil. They were taking out their hatred and envy of Joseph by getting rid of him. I can't imagine how much all of this must have hurt Joseph. Yet, he remained faithful to God. He did not give up on God because of the actions of people. He did not get angry with God for allowing these things to happen to him. He continued to live in righteousness, even in the worst of circumstances. He patiently waited for God to deliver him, and in the meantime he made the best of his situations in life.
Joseph's patience is a prescription for success in life. No matter how long God takes to work out His will for us, we must be assured it is His will, and it will come in His timing. We can't push God or require Him to give us something better. He is in control, so we submit and wait. All the while He continues to bless us while we suffer persecution and pain. He is with us all of the way. It doesn't matter how bad life gets, when we have the Lord to comfort and cheer us, we can wait on Him to bring us out of the crises of life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 39-42