Faith, Doubt and God's Mysterious TimingSample

Time Changes the Story

The story of Joseph is a sweeping saga that takes up twelve chapters in Genesis. His story is worth looking at for it teaches us about God’s timing- and how to trace God’s hand through a lifelong journey of faith. In Genesis 50, when Joseph looks back, his reflections about what happened to him are filtered by what he sees about his story. Even though he was sold into slavery, sent to prison unjustly, and lived much of his journey in undeserved pain because of what his brothers did to him, his words to them in Genesis 50:20 reveal that our perception of what happens to us may change as life unfolds.

“You intended to harm me” is the rough truth of what happened to him. “But God intended it for good” is what God is able to do with the painful circumstances of our lives. Sometimes we read verses like this too fast— emphasizing how God used our circumstances for good, while short-circuiting the pain that impacted us. When Joseph saw his brothers, he wept- partly from the sadness of what his brothers did. Loss is not absolved from our story even when we have a new understanding of why that loss occurred.

Our future self will wrestle with our pain differently than our present self because we have distance and perspective that we don’t have while the painful circumstance is happening. God desires our healing and wholeness, and time is part of the canvas on which He works. When we reflect on our losses, we realize we’ve become something we wouldn’t be without them. Joseph’s words in Genesis 50:21 show the growth of his grace and humility, which God desires for us all. Joseph’s losses have shaped his character and grown his heart.

Ultimately, we can trust that the end of our story will bring new meaning to the path of getting there. We typically judge what will happen on the basis of what is happening, and that’s not necessarily what unfolds. Joseph’s story shows us that where a prison sentence normally leads- could be miles away from what actually happens (see Genesis 41:9-14). We need to learn to live the hardship of our story without letting it write the script for the rest of our life. Observing the unpredictable way God works helps us look at our story with new hope.

Takeaway: Reflect on a time when God surprised you when something that was bad ended up leading to something good. How can Joseph’s story help you trust God with the path you are now on?