Overflow In The Hard Paths Sample

Overflow In The Famine 

The famine begins right after the seven years of plenty end. The whole of Egypt and the surrounding nations come to Joseph for help. Thanks to Joseph’s careful planning, he is able to sell grain to all those who arrive in Egypt. Jacob and his sons, who are in Canaan, are feeling the effects of the famine. The ten older sons are then sent to Egypt to procure grain.

They come before Joseph but don’t recognize him as they buy grain from him. Joseph though, immediately recognizes them and remembers the dreams he had, as a child, of them bowing before him. He is finally able to join all the dots. He takes them on a dramatic, suspense-filled trail until he can’t contain it any longer and reveals himself to his brothers. 

Joseph is a great example of what living in the overflow looks like mostly because of the kind of forgiveness and love he shows to his brothers. These were the same guys who had stripped him of his robe, dropped him in an empty cistern, sold him for thirty pieces of silver to Ishmaelite traders, faked Joseph’s death to their father and moved on with their lives. He could have punished them, tortured them or mocked them instead, he tested their hearts and on seeing their love for their father and a possessive care for their youngest brother Benjamin he knew that something had changed in all of them. He offered them forgiveness instantly and proceeded to show his love for them in his actions. He didn’t just hug them and enquire about their families, he loaded up their carts with the best of Egypt and sent extra carts with them to bring back his father and their families. That’s a sign of an incredible and divine overflow! 

Today you could be experiencing a famine in your health, in your finances, in your career, in your marriage or in your friendships. Are you still prepared to bless others with what you do have rather than focusing on what you don’t?

How ready are you to move forward in unconditional forgiveness towards those who have hurt you deeply? Such forgiveness and generosity will be clear signs of the overflow in your life.