Gentle Reminders
There Is Purpose in Your Pain
In Genesis, we read that Joseph’s brothers hated him. They hated him so much, they sold him into slavery, leaving their father Jacob in a world of heartache. Years passed, and the brothers, who lived with the guilt of what they’d done, believed there was no way Joseph could still be living.
BUT GOD…
Years passed. Joseph became a servant. Things went horribly wrong, through no fault of his own, and he found himself in prison, where he was eventually put in charge of all the prisoners. He interpreted a dream that came to pass and asked the man he helped to remember him and mention him to Pharaoh. But he was forgotten. More years passed in prison, until Pharaoh had a dream that needed interpreting, and finally, Joseph’s name was mentioned. Joseph was taken to Pharaoh, where he interpreted the dream correctly, found favor with Pharaoh, and was appointed a leader over all Egypt, only one step below Pharaoh in ranking. In Egypt, Joseph helped store food for a famine coming. Seven years later, as Pharaoh’s dream foretold, famine came.
Jacob and Joseph’s brothers were starving from the famine and needed help from Egypt. One day, all the brothers who sold Joseph into slavery traveled to Egypt and came face to face with the brother they had once hated. What could have been a story of revenge on Joseph’s side turned out to be a story of forgiveness, of killing the bitterness that had plagued their family years before Joseph was even born. After forgiving his brothers, he told them something remarkable. He said, “…it was not you who sent me here, but God…” (Gen. 45:8). He said, “…God sent me before you to preserve life” (45:5).
Out of the years of suffering that Joseph endured, he gave credit to the Lord. Out of his horrible circumstance, he found favor with Pharaoh and was able to keep others from starving to death.
He found purpose in his pain.
And when the pain was over, immense joy came afterward when Joseph reunited with his father, Jacob. Joseph sent his brothers home with gifts to tell Jacob that he was still alive and to bring Jacob to Egypt. At first, Jacob doubted. He couldn’t accept the too-good-to-true possibility that the son he loved so much was still living. But when he saw Joseph’s gifts, he said in Genesis 45:28, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
That word ‘enough’ is RAB in Hebrew, meaning “plenty, strong, mighty, much, abounding in, greater than.”
In other words, this knowledge, this joyful, sweet, merciful knowledge that Jacob’s son is still alive is greater than the former sorrow. Just like Christ’s resurrection is greater than your sin and pain and heartache. Because His resurrection abolished death. It gave the world and still gives the world opportunity to surrender their hearts in exchange for what seems to be too-good-to-be-true grace and life and joy that never ends. But it’s not too-good-to-be-true. It’s real, and it’s wonderful. Christ is enough.
Christ is enough.
Christ is enough.
So, dear Friend, there is purpose in your pain. Because of Christ, there will always be purpose in your pain. It’s not all for naught. Jesus is greater than all the sorrow this world gives. Joseph overcame the pain and endured the distance from his father, because he kept his eyes focused on God, who had a purpose, and he gave glory to God, who created beauty from ashes, as only He can do.
Oh Lord, You are my Rock. I will build my house upon the Rock and not the sinking sand, for You hold me fast. You are enough.
Up Next: TRUSTING IN THE LORD, WHO IS ALWAYS WITH YOU
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