Weekly Word Archives

Suffering Series

Suffering and the Big Picture
Part 4

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In previous lessons we have learned that suffering can be the result of:

1.	Living out the consequences of our own choices. Some of those choices are a result of believing the lies of Satan about God’s character and about ourselves.

2.	Living in a fallen world where we each choose to sin.

3.	Living in a fallen world where our bodies decay and die.

4.	Living in a fallen world where the environment is no longer perfect (weeds, insects, tornadoes, hurricanes).

5.	Living or dying because of the sinful choices of others, seeing our loved ones in pain or death because of the actions of another person.

6.	An attack of Satan.

How do the sufferings or trials or afflictions of Christians fit into the scheme of the world, of history, of the kingdom of God? There is a wonderful Biblical example of enduring rejection, separation, isolation, and injustice. This example is seen in a very profound way in the life of Joseph. Joseph’s story begins in Genesis 37 and ends in Genesis 50.

Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Israel (formerly Jacob). He was loved by his father more than any other son (Gen. 37:3) even though he was one of the youngest. The favoritism of his father caused the other brothers to hate him (Gen. 37:4, 8), and they sold him into slavery (Gen. 37:27). Joseph was carried off to Egypt and separated from all of his family. He eventually ended up in Potiphar’s house. This begins a very interesting story that contains all the elements of an exciting plot that would rival anything to come out of Hollywood. Joseph was in charge of Potiphar’s house, personal business, etc. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. When he fled from her, she lied, blamed it on him and had him put in jail indefinitely. While in jail, he interpreted a dream for Pharaoh’s cupbearer who got out of jail, but forgot to tell Pharaoh about Joseph until sometime later. Joseph was eventually released from prison and put in charge over all of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. Through that position and God’s direction he came up with a plan to save Egypt from a great famine.

If you read the whole story, there are some very significant elements to it. One is that we know God was with Joseph, God gave him success, and He blessed him (Gen. 39:2, 3, 5, 20, 21, 23). We know that God directed Joseph and that He spoke to him. But the Scriptures never tell us of anything God said to Joseph to give him an idea of what was going to happen to him, in the future specifically. He did have the two dreams while still at home, but we don’t know of a time that God told Joseph how that was going to come about in his life (his brothers bowing down to him, Gen. 37:5-10). We do not have any record of what God might have said to Joseph to assure Him of His presence or to comfort him. Was God silent to Joseph during the time he spent in prison? We don’t know but there is no record of what He said, and he was certainly alone. However, Joseph never lost his confidence in God. He always sought God and he always gave God the credit for every good thing that happened. He never became bitter or revengeful to any of the people who wronged him; not his brothers, not Potiphar’s wife, not the chief cupbearer. He never spoke badly of anyone who wronged him.

How could he come through all of these events with such a godly attitude, with such strength, courage and confidence? He was rejected by his brothers. Shouldn’t that have damaged his self-esteem? He came through the experience and was still kind and compassionate. He wept when he saw his brothers and was generous with them. What was the difference in his life? I believe it was his compete dependence on God and his confi-dence in Him. Because of his close relationship with God, he was able to forgive everyone who wronged him. He never became bitter or resentful to any of them. He saw the “big picture”. What was the big picture? The big picture for Joseph was that God wanted to save the nation of Israel from the famine. Did Joseph know through all of his sufferings what the end result was going to be? I don’t think he did. He did not really know until the end of the story how he was to be a part of saving them. But he knew the painter of the picture. He knew he was part of a “big picture” even when he didn’t know what it was going to look like. Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

I would encourage you to sit down and read through the story of Joseph in Genesis. Read it from a new perspective. Think about it in terms of Joseph’s complete dependence and trust in a Holy, Almighty God who speaks to individuals personally and works in their lives to protect them, care for them, and to accomplish a work to save lives. His story overwhelms me with the goodness of God even when the circumstances seem terrible. Even when we seem alone, rejected, isolated, forgotten, God is still there and He has not forgotten about us.

Is Joseph’s story different from ours? We may never be sold into slavery or imprisoned for doing the right thing. But do we each have a story of broken family relations? Maybe it is a parent who never showed you love. Maybe it is a wayward child who has rejected you and/or your values. Maybe it is a divorce or separation. Maybe you were adopted and have always felt you were rejected. Perhaps you were the one who did the rejecting, and you don’t know how to repair the relationship. Do we each have a story of how we have been wronged when we were doing the right thing, the godly thing? It could have been that you lost a job or promotion or account because you would not compromise your values. You might have been ridiculed or humiliated by others because of godly actions or principles in your life. What has your response been to those circumstances in your life? Can you say, like Joseph, that you have never spoken ill of someone else, that you have never sought revenge, that there was never bitterness or resentment? Can you say there has been a complete dependence on and trust in God? Have you forgiven those who hurt you? Do you see yourself as part of a “big picture”?

In Philip Yancey’s book Where is God When It Hurts, he tells Joni Eareckson Tada’s story. An accident had left her paralyzed. Over a three year time period she went through a transformation in her attitude. “At first, Joni found it impossible to reconcile her condition with her belief in an all loving God.” A turning point came the evening a close friend, Cindy, told her, “Joni, you aren’t the only one. Jesus knows how you feel ¾ why, He was paralyzed too.” Cindy described how Jesus was fastened to the cross, paralyzed by the nails. “The thought intrigued Joni and, for a moment, took her mind off her own pain. It had never occurred to her that God might have felt the same piercing sensations that now racked her body. The realization was profoundly comforting... She wrestled with God, yes. But she did not turn away from Him... Joni now calls her accident a ‘glorious intruder,’ and claims it was the best thing that ever happened to her. God used it to get her attention and direct her thoughts toward Him.” Instead of continuing to search for why the devastating accident occurred, Joni has been forced to depend more heavily on the Lord and to look at life from a long-range perspective, “the big picture”.

God has a “big picture” He is painting and you are in it. Are you willing to follow Him, to submit to Him, to depend on Him even when you don’t know what your part in the picture is or what it will look like when it is finished?