“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
~Romans 8:28
I’ve been reading about Joseph lately and I was struck by this thought.
God’s plans take time
See Joseph was favored by His father Jacob. His father made Joseph a coat of many colors and gave it to him. His brothers despised Joseph because he was the favorite; so they conspired against him and almost killed him. At the insistence of their oldest brother, they decide to throw him into an old well. Then they see a caravan of people and bring him up from the well and sell Joseph to these people.
Joseph ends up in the house of Potiphar only to run into more trouble because of Potiphar’s wife. Being the wife of Potiphar evidently wasn’t enough. She wanted Joseph. She basically throws herself at him. He, wanting to obey God and respect his earthly master, refuses multiple times. Then one day she grabs him by his coat and he leaves the coat and flees.
Later Potiphar’s wife tells a lie that ends up with Joseph thrown in jail. While in jail he gets placed over all the other prisoners. After several years he is remembered by Pharoh’s cupbearer and eventually placed second in command to Pharoh. Pharoh is only greater than Joseph in regards to the throne.
From the time that Joseph is sold into slavery to the time that he is second to Pharoh is about 13 years.
As I was reading this I was reminded of the simple truth that God’s plans take time. We may think that time is running out, and that God can’t change the situation that we are in, or that God has forgotten us. But the simple truth is that God’s not done yet.
We need to remember that God’s timetable is vastly different than ours. 2 Peter 3:8 says “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
He hasn’t forgotten you. He hears the prayers that you’re saying and counts the tears that you cry (Psalm 66:20, Psalm 56:8). Hang on tight to Jesus. He won’t let go. He’ll lead you in the way that you need to go–keep trusting in His timing. Remember that ALL things are for our GOOD. Someway, somehow, it will be good for us.
Until next time,
Bailey Sue
