The biblical book of Genesis in the Old Testament tells the story of Joseph. Joseph was Abraham’s great-grandson. He had 11 brothers but was favored above the others by his father. His father’s open favoritism toward one son and early signs that Joseph would be favored by God over his brothers kindled jealousy amongst the siblings. Eventually, the other brothers hatched a plot to get rid of Joseph altogether. From that point forward, Joseph’s life is a series of successes and setbacks. It’s noteworthy because the setbacks are pretty universally unfair. Regardless of where he found himself, whether it was as a slave or in prison, his natural abilities and God’s favor resulted in him rising to a high station. Then, he was neglected or lied about and was brought low or stuck in place. Joseph had every right to complain that his situation was unfair and unjust. We don’t know whether or not he complained, but what we do know is that each time he was treated unjustly, it lead him further and further in the direction of what God meant his life to be. In the end, he wound up serving as second in command in the court of the Pharaoh of Egypt at a time when Egypt was one of the wealthiest civilizations in the world. Finally, near the end of his story, Joseph comes face to face with his brothers again. When all is revealed and his siblings realize they are face to face with the one they sold into slavery, they apologize and beg forgiveness. Joseph’s words are powerful and worth remembering/applying in our lives. He tells them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…”
The statement is a clear summary of the experiences Joseph had throughout his life. People treated him in evil ways, but God used those events to set Joseph in a high position and train him to see the world through the lens of God’s plan rather than the immediate circumstances he found himself in. Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence by Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure is an excellent little book dealing with the idea that God is in control of our lives and the directions they take. The author argues that if God is all powerful, good, and has our best as his objective, then circumstances should be viewed in light of that reality. The simple logic of this idea can make it seem like a “pat answer” to difficult and painful questions we ask when our lives take turns we don’t expect. However, the idea itself is far from an easy one. In Joseph’s story, we see a man who over and over again would have been left languishing and trying to make sense of everything. At the pinnacle of his life, he could easily say that God made it work out for the best, but I would argue that he likely said it to himself over and over as he endured the hardships that befell him. His behaviors reveal a man who is trusting that God is in control, even when it seems like He isn’t. He was changed for the better by the difficulties he endured. Joseph learned to trust when it was most difficult to trust. Jean Baptiste, in his book on trusting God and surrendering to His will, puts it this way: “Let us then trust ourselves entirely to God and His Providence and leave Him complete power to order our lives, turning to Him lovingly in every need and awaiting His help without anxiety.” I think this is what Joseph did and what he learned to do through his repeated setbacks and mistreatments. God trained him in hardship. I would argue that this is how we ought to approach our own challenges and difficulties: Learning to surrender to and trust in Him.
