Six Truths for Experiencing God’s Blessings
(Especially in Difficult Times)
As you give thanks this holiday, consider reading Genesis 37-45 and reflecting on the truths Joseph’s story teaches us about experiencing God’s blessings, especially in difficult times:
Truth 1: Live with Your Hands Open
Living with your hands open means not grasping or holding tightly to whatever control you can find, but instead being willing to receive whatever God might give, especially when your circumstances seem impossible.
We see Joseph live with his hands open when he is sold into slavery by his brothers (Gen. 37) and when he is thrown into prison (Gen. 39-40). Both times, he trusts God in his circumstances and God brings blessings through him to others around him.
Truth 2: Don’t Let Authority Change Your Faithfulness
When Joseph is brought before Pharoah to interpret Pharoah’s dreams, he makes clear “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Gen. 41:16)
When we are in a position of influence, let us not forget that every good and perfect gift comes from God. (James 1:17) In humility, we should see these moments as opportunities to bring glory to our Heavenly Father.
Truth 3: Never Compromise
When Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph (Gen. 39), he refuses her because it would be “such a wicked thing and sin against God.”
Joseph recognized even small compromises put us at odds with our Creator. In the New Testament, the Apostle James puts it this way: “don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
There will be so many opportunities in this life to compromise when it comes to living out our faith, but stand firm and trust God to provide a way out of temptation.
Truth 4: Choose Forgiveness
In Genesis 42, Joseph is brought face-to-face with his brothers–the same brothers who sold him into slavery–and understandably struggles with how to respond. In the end, he chooses forgiveness and not only experiences peace but also reconciliation with his father.
As post-resurrection believers, we should choose forgiveness because Jesus first forgave us and because it allows the Holy Spirit to do a powerful work in us and through us which is the ultimate blessing.
Truth 5: Stop Playing God
Before ultimately choosing forgiveness, we read in Genesis 42-44 how Joseph makes things difficult for his brothers out of bitterness for what they had done to him. But Genesis 45 hints that this was stressful. Before revealing himself and choosing forgiveness, we read he “could no longer control himself” and “he wept so loudly.”
Holding onto hurt and anger when we’ve been wronged keeps us from living the full, abundant life Jesus died on the cross and rose again for us to experience. By trying to enact vengeance–which Romans 12:19 tells us belongs only to God–we keep ourselves from experiencing the blessings of the Lord.
Truth 6: Your Legacy Matters More Than You Realize
In Genesis 45, Joseph concludes he must have gone through the hardships of slavery and prison so he could save his family from the famine. There is no way he could see so far into the future, but if he had never forgiven his brothers and invited his family to live with him in Egypt–thereby keeping the family from becoming destitute–the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of salvation through their line (ultimately fulfilled in Jesus) would not have been possible.
Like Joseph’s story, your story is an important part of God’s work in the world.
This Thanksgiving, as you sit around the table with your family and everyone is sharing what they’re grateful for, share the story of how God showed up during a hardship in your life. It will take the conversation deeper, and God can use your answer to bring hope and blessing to someone else’s life.
This post is inspired by part two of Mt. Bethel Church’s “Gratitude” sermon series entitled, “Source of All Blessings” by Matt Lake, Executive Director of NextGen Ministries.