Rooted in Worshipنموونە

Worship in Uncertainty

This year has tested me in nearly every way. While I have a job, the future of my career feels far from certain. I’ve spent many nights tossing and turning from a spiraling mind and wondering what’s next. When it comes to some key relationships in my life, I am unsure where God is leading. Life is uncertain right now. Sometimes, I feel a little lost, sometimes overwhelmed, and sometimes tired and worn out from riding the rollercoaster of life.

Can you relate to these feelings?

I have often asked God, “What do I do next?” or “Where do I go from here?”

Uncertainty is a part of life. We all face it at some point or another. The recent uncertainties in my life have sometimes robbed me of joy and have taken away my desire to worship. I can testify that Jesus’ words about Satan are true, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10).

There are many biblical examples of people who faced uncertainty in life, but Joseph stands out for the intensity and duration of the uncertainty he faced. For over a decade, Joseph experienced a life full of death threats, tragic loss, relationship drama, false accusations, and even prison! Joseph is a poster child for uncertainty. His story begins in Genesis 37 and finishes in the last chapter of Genesis, chapter 50. In terms of Biblical real estate, Joseph’s story is huge.

The story begins happily enough. Joseph was the apple of his father’s eye and enjoyed favor and special privileges. The special treatment did not go unnoticed, though.

“When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him” (Genesis 37:4).

As a teenager, he had a series of dreams about his family. He shared with his family that they all were bowing down to him in the dreams. This did not go over well! The anger his brothers felt towards Joseph continued to grow into murderous hatred. They plotted to kill the little dreamer.

“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams” (Genesis 37:19-20).

Luckily for Joseph, one brother, Reuben, pushed back on the idea of murder. He offered a different solution, which he thought would allow him to rescue his brother later. The plan took a turn for the worse when the brothers saw a caravan coming by and chose to sell Joseph into slavery.

The next thirteen years of Joseph’s life included chaos and uncertainty. He lived as a slave, was falsely accused of assault, ended up in prison, and found himself forgotten by the world. Joseph’s story is full of uncertainty, but it is also full of a special phrase.

“The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2)

“The Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:3)

“The Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:21)

“The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:23)

Repetition in the Bible is a way that authors make their points clear. Do you think the author wanted us to know something important about Joseph’s life?

In the chaos, uncertainty, and storms of life, the Lord was with Joseph.

As a lifelong Floridian, I have been through many storms. In general, storms do not worry me very much. I like to sit in my living room and watch out the windows as lightning fills the sky. I often joke that the yearly hurricanes we experience are just a way to get a day off, but one day in 2004 changed the way I think about storms. On that day, a hurricane ripped through my neighborhood. In a moment, the wind sounded like a freight train, and the storm began cutting massive oak trees in half and sending them through roofs and car windshields. It was the only time I had ever been afraid in a storm.

While the storm raged, I watched my father stand in the hallway of our home. The rest of us were crouched in a closet, but he stood looking out the window, watching the storm. He was not afraid. There was just something about watching my father and knowing he was with me that brought peace to the chaos.

This example can help us understand Joseph's unexplainable life. Joseph’s life was full of uncertainty, but he knew that his Heavenly Father was with him. He could face life’s challenges with a strong and growing faith because he knew who was with him in the storm. God redeemed Joseph from the pit, restored Joseph’s reputation, and gave Joseph the opportunity to bless those who had cursed him.

God was with Joseph, and Joseph was with God.

You may be facing challenges and uncertainty in your own life right now. You may be wondering: Where is God? Why is he allowing this to happen? When will he act?

Let Joseph's life be a reminder that God is with you in the uncertainty. He knows, he cares, and he will bring you through. Choose to praise the Lord during your uncertainty because he is with you!

Reflection:

How have you seen God work through the adversities in your past?

Do you live like the Lord is with you, or do you face life in your own strength?

Talk with the Lord about any uncertainty you are currently facing.