Genesis 50:20

 As you've traveled this life have you ever felt like another person has treated you unfairly? Maybe you've even felt targeted in your treatment. Well there is a lot we can learn from the life of Joseph.

You see I'm one of those people who hates change. I'll hang in no matter the circumstances or treatment because the alternative is change.

For a person who hates change, the last three years have been nothing but change. God has given us a snapshot of how our circumstances are filtered by God's hand in the story of Joseph. Samuel Emadi wrote, "Within Reformed circles, preachers often use Joseph merely to illustrate how divine sovereignty and human responsibility intersect..."

Emadi goes on to say, "God’s sovereignty figures largely in the Joseph story because God wants us to see how he puts himself in impossible situations and yet finds a way to keep his covenant promises."

If you know me you know I filter all of life through God's sovereign plan for me. I can't even begin to tell you how this helps me face each day.

The last three years have been nothing but change. I've changed jobs, churches, and my diet, and one thing I can bank on is I'm going to continue changing.

Friend, we all pray, "God use me." We heroically sing the words of Isaiah, "Here am I send me," but secretly add "just don't make it painful."

So you may ask, "What caused this reflective moment?" The answer - an eye exam.

Seriously, I felt like the lyrics in a Johnny Nash song,

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind..."

Don't get me wrong I know hard days will come, but I also know that the same God who has allowed the hard days in the past three years will be there using them for my good.