Everyone I've asked lately "How are you?" has had the same response: "Life has been life-ing!"
And I feel that. Lately, life has felt like receiving blow after blow all while trying to stay grounded in God, take care of your mental health, be there for your loved ones, and chileeee... it is tiring.
But while life has been lifing lately, God has also been God-ing! And one thing He reminded me of this week is that what the enemy plans for evil, He will use for good. This is why we are still standing no matter how many blows life throws at us, because through it all, even if we don't see it in the moment, God has our back.
The story of Joseph is the perfect example of this. Life dealt Joseph one blow after another and it felt like he was never able to catch a break. But God showed me through his story, how every single blow thrown at Him to hurt him, God used for His good.
When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, can you imagine how that blow must have felt? To have been betrayed by his family? The ones that were supposed to have his back? And yet... what they meant for evil, God used for Joseph's good. When he arrived in Egypt, he was sold to a man named Potiphar, and because God was with him, Joseph found favor with Potiphar.
"The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned." Genesis 39: 2-4
In the midst of what probably felt like hell for Joseph, he found favor in Potiphar's eyes. What a relief it must have been for him to see how God's favor followed him even in the midst of his trials. I'm pretty sure he asked himself why God didn't just deliver him from his hardships, but Joseph shows us what it looks like to faithfully wait on God, and trust that if he chooses to give us favor in the middle of our storms, instead of just getting us out of the storms, He has a reason for that.
The next blow Joseph had to endure was being thrown in jail after Potiphar's wife unjustly accused him of trying to rape her. Can you imagine? After starting to see a glimmer of hope in the midst of his troubles, he had to endure yet another blow. But God, yet again, turned that blow into more favor for Joseph.
"But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there" ~ Genesis 39:21-22
Once more, God showed up for Joseph and turned yet another blow into more favor for him. Joseph goes on to leave the jail after interpreting Pharaoh's dreams and he's put in charge of the whole land of Egypt (Genesis 41:41).
He went from being sold into slavery to being unjustly put in jail, to being exalted and placed in a leadership position as Pharaoh's right hand. Years later when he's reunited with his brothers Joseph tells them "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." ~ Genesis 50:20
If you're in a season right now where you also feel like life has been life-ing, and you're tired of the different blows that life keeps throwing at you, I pray this encourages you that even through it all, God is with you.
It may be hard to grasp in the moment, but He's going to use everything that's happening in your life right now for your good.
Rooting and praying for you always,
~ Kemi
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