“The Lord was with
Joseph and he prospered…his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the
Lord gave Him success in everything he did….” Genesis 39:2, 3
His
brothers plotted to kill him in rage and jealousy. The story could be on the
news any day of the week, in any city in America
When
I become angry, it is usually because I feel my rights were trampled on. I get
irritated, thinking and saying things, which hurt others in attempts to repay
them for things that hurt me.
The
results—hurtful words, hateful looks, broken relationships and shattered lives.
The newspapers and our discussions over lunch or at the water cooler are full
of them.
Time
and again in the book of Genesis, we read about the Lord prospering Joseph in
everything he did, even though he was still in slavery. The Lord gave him such
success even his master saw God was with him. The Lord showed him favor and
kindness in prison. He became second in command to the most powerful ruler in
the known world. What an attitude of trust and acceptance Joseph must have had.
How graciously he must have submitted himself to the authorities over him. How
accepting he must have been of the place he found himself in, understanding God’s
concern was more about his character than his circumstances.
Because
of Joseph’s acceptance and obedience, even in situations he did not deserve, God
blessed him. He had such peace in his heart regarding God’s control of all
things that he forgave his brothers for the terrible injustice they had wrought
upon him.
The
story of Joseph convicts me that I must submit my attitude to the Lord before others
can see Him reflected in me. Rebelling and grumbling hurt me, my witness, and
sometimes the people I love.
I must choose daily to allow God to bless others through my attitude of submission and acceptance. I cannot control the actions of others, but I can control my reaction to them.
© By Norma Gail Thurston Holtman,
September 30, 2011.
About the author:
Norma
Gail’s contemporary Christian romance, Land
of My Dreams, released in 2014 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.
She is a Bible study leader, and writes devotionals for ChristianDevotions.us and
“The Secret Place.” Norma is a regular contributor to the Stitches thru Time
blog. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of
America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is married and has two
adult children.
Connect
with Norma:
Book
Links:
Barnes
& Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173
Lighthouse
Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/
Very insightful and convicting, Norma. Within three paragraphs, I found myself contemplating the reasons I might find myself angry or in willful disobedience. You're right, most times it is because I feel I have been wronged. At times, my pride and self-righteousness will be stronger than my self-control and I may say or do something I regret. To by more like Joseph is a great example.
ReplyDeleteI agree that grumbling or bring pessimistic can be very harmful to our Christian witness. We may not be always happy but we should always be joyful!
ReplyDeleteConnie
cps1950 at gmail dot com