I DON’T GET IT

By Sean Fryer

“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

The great martial arts master Mr. Miyagi once said, “Wax on, wax off.  Wax on, wax off” as he was training Daniel-san in The Karate Kid. He had Daniel do all sorts of chores around his house; waxing the car, painting the fence, and even sanding a wooden floor. This frustrates Daniel to no end because he wants to be trained in karate, but all he’s been given are different chores. It doesn’t make sense! But then, as Daniel has reached his limits, Mr. Miyagi shows him he was being trained the whole time! Every single one of those motions was preparing his body for the muscle memory he would need for different moves in karate. Daniel eventually wins the karate tournament he was preparing for, all thanks to the preparation and training of Mr. Miyagi. 

Just as Daniel didn’t know what Mr. Miyagi was doing, trials and suffering don’t always make sense in the moment. They may not make sense for a very long time, but one day we will be able to look back and see exactly how God was using those moments for good; to prepare us for something greater. Toward the end of the Book of Genesis we see a young man named Joseph who had his whole life marked by trials. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of something by Potiphar’s wife (his master), and then is thrown into prison. Joseph did nothing to deserve this, but all those events eventually led him to being second in command in Egypt. It’s at this time he is able to prepare the region for a famine that is coming and saves countless lives; including those of his family back in Canaan.

Eventually Joseph gets to see his brothers again. They’re scared for this meeting and even throw themselves at his feet and offer to be his slaves, but that’s when Joseph utters those words we read at the beginning of this devotional: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” I don’t know if Joseph could have said that when he was being sold into slavery. He most likely wasn’t thinking it while he was being thrown into prison. It’s often been said that Joseph goes from the pit to the palace, and in that moment, he was able to look back and see EXACTLY what God was doing. Every trial, every hurdle, he can see that the hand of God was active in his life.  

In Romans 8;28, we’re told, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Joseph had many Mr. Miyagi moments. We can be sure that he didn’t always understand the training; he likely  got frustrated, maybe even cried out, “I DON’T GET IT, GOD” . . . But in the end, he understood that God was making it all work together for not only his good, but for the good of many others, including the very brothers who sold him into slavery, and all of humanity. You see, that famine that he prepared everyone for, it saved the family that Jesus would come from and in turn, all of humanity. God’s hand was all over Joseph’s life, even the trials, and His hand is over your life, too! Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” So, even when you don’t get it, trust and have faith that He goes before you and will work all those hardships for your good!