WE LIVE IN AN EVIL WORLD The life as a christian is not always a dance on roses. We live in an evil world with lots of misery and problems. Sooner or later things happen, when we wonder, why is this happening, and why is it happening to me?? The answer we may never get. But nonetheless what we have to face, we have a choice to make: either we let the circumstances defeat us and make us depressed and bitter, or we try to do the best of the situation. Live will be what we make it. Whatever we have to face we can always do the best of every situation. LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS FAIR The Bible tells us about several persons that had to face terrible things even though they had done nothing wrong. One example is Joseph <Genesis 37, 39-41> He was innocently thrown into a pit and then he was sold as a slave by his own brothers! You can imagine how he felt when he was treated like this, by his own brothers. But Joseph didn't give up, cause he knew that God was with him and would help him through. Joseph was then taken to Egypt and there he had to serve Potifar, one of Pharao's officers. Some time later Potifar's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and wanted to sleep with him. But he refused to sleep with her. Then she falsely accused him for trying to rape her, and Potifar then put him in prison, even though he had done nothing wrong! But Joseph didn't let these bad circumstances defeat him, but he continued to do the best of the situation. JOSEPH DIDN'T GAVE UP! Some time later two of the other prisoners had a dream, which Joseph interpreted with the help of God. One of the prisoners, who was the chief of the butlers then promised Joseph, that if his dream was fulfilled as Joseph had said, he would tell Pharaoh about Joseph and do everything he could to help him out of the prison. Three days later the butler was released from prison and once again became Pharaoh's chief of the butlers, just as Joseph had said in the interpretation. But the butler totally forgot his promise to Joseph and didn't said a word about him to Pharaoh. You can imagine how Joseph must have felt: sold as a slave to a foreign country, deep down in a cold, dark prison, and now even betrayed by his friend! Even though he was in a very bad situation, he still didn't gave up, cause he knew that God was with him, despite of all that had happened. GOD RESTORED JOSEPH Some years later Pharaoh had some strange dreams, which no one could interpret. Then the butler remembered his promise to Joseph and told Pharaoh about Joseph and that he could interpret dreams. When Pharaoh heard this, he immediately sent some men to take Joseph out of the prison. Once again God gave Joseph wisdom so he could interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Pharaoh became so thankful to Joseph for interpreting the dreams, that he made him to the second highest man in Egypt! From prison to the second highest of Egypt, talk about restoration! THE CHOICE IS YOURS! Joseph could have choosed to become bitter, depressed and accuse God for all he had to face, but he chose to do the best of every situation and trusted that God would help him through. What we can learn of this is to not let circumstances defeat us, because no matter what we face, God will always help us through, cause He is with us and will never leave nor forsake us. <Hebrews 13:5> We all have to face tough times in our lives, the question is if we choose to let the circumstances defeat us and make us bitter and depressed, or if we choose to trust God and believe that He will help us through and therefore try to do the best of the situation. The choice is all up to you....
© Johannes Jonsson 2002 e-mail: johannes@metalforjesus.org |