Imagine that you are Joseph. You know, the guy in the Bible with the robe of many colors? The favorite son of his father? The one who had dreams of his whole family bowing down to him multiple times? Um, awkward family moment, eh? Yeah, that’s the guy.

He’s the hero of many folks throughout history for good reason. He fled from sexual temptation. He forgave his horrible brothers. He honored his father. He (by God’s grace) kept an entire nation (and many more!) alive in the midst of a severe famine. He’s one of my favorites, too. So much so that we named our only son after him.

But life wasn’t always chocolate-covered for dear Joseph. No, he had his share of severe hardship. He went from being, what I will kindly call an “well-decorated, indoors sort of boy”  (aka spoiled) to being beat up, thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery.

If that weren’t enough, after faithfully serving Potiphar in Egypt, a lying woman landed him in prison for multiple years.

What to Ponder When You’re Sitting in a Pit

I can’t help but wonder what was going through Joseph’s mind as he sat in that pit, looking up at brothers who he had grown up with, brothers who now had cast him off and would have left him for dead, had a more lucrative option not presented itself.

We often look up to Joseph because of the way his story ends. As second in command in all of Egypt, rich, famous and (most importantly, of course) a man of character. A man who, against all odds, forgives and weeps with love over those same brothers who wanted him dead.

I’m not certain, but it’s just a hunch that when he was sitting in that pit and maybe even when he was sitting in that prison, Joseph wasn’t pondering the thought that came out of his mouth when he revealed himself to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20).

No, likely Joseph had an emotional response similar to what our own would have been. He likely got angry and was deeply hurt by his brothers actions. If this weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have been so passionate when he did forgive them because it cost him something great emotionally to do so.

A Choice to Rejoice

Somewhere between the pit and the palace, when Joseph was suffering and waiting – his character was formed, strengthened, and found to be more precious than gold. It was in these places of great sorrow and testing that Joseph became the man that we remember him for today.

When you find yourself in the midst of a great trial (or even a minor nuisance), it is easy to pray only for deliverance rather than also asking for strength to endure, if it be God’s will. Our flesh resists suffering and difficulty and it always will.

For many years, I didn’t understand the verses in James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

We can count all our suffering and trials as “pure joy” (which seems completely crazy apart from a spiritual perspective) when we are reminded that they are producing endurance and godly character in us.

Brothers and sisters, what you may be going through, what you may have gone through, is not in vain. It is not needless suffering.

God will turn your tears into glory and use your trials to shine forth His glorious character. And you can be sure that He will never bring a trial your way before it has first passed through His loving hands – hands that have been pierced for your salvation.

Can you choose to rejoice today, no matter what you are going through? Yes, you can. Because God’s promises are true, His character is proven, and His love for you is everlasting.

And when you put your faith in the unshakeable, you too, will become unshaken.

I stood close by and watched as my two year old attempted to pull our heavy bag full of pool towels and lunches to the car. She is in a stage of growing independence and at the same time she is learning what she is still incapable of in her own strength.

This is often very hard for her to acknowledge. As she struggled with the bag, I waited for her to finally stop and say, “Mommy, can you help me?”

I have learned that standing back and waiting for her to discover her own limitations is priceless. If I rush in and grab the bag saying, “Honey, that’s too big for you!” She will surely protest and try to prove me wrong. But, as hard as it may be for me (and her) at times, to wait and let her struggle as she discovers her own limitations, it provides her with the chance to wrestle with tasks and then ask me for help when she needs it.

I’m a lot like my two year old. In fact, sometimes I am much worse at admitting when I need help.

The Thorns in Our Flesh

An independent, “I-CAN-DO-IT-MYSELF” attitude can only get us so far. Acknowledging our limitations sets us free to receive Christ’s power. In fact, It is only when our limits and helplessness are acknowledged that Christ can come in and meet our needs with His unlimited power supply of grace.

The apostle Paul is considered by many to be the most influential of all the apostles in the early church. And yet God gave him a “thorn in the flesh” that was a constant reminder of his limitations.

While we aren’t sure what this “thorn” was, we know that it kept Paul humble and that he pleaded with God to take it away from him. God responded, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). He learned through this interaction with God to boast in his weakness rather than deny it, because it was only through that weakness that Christ’s power could rest upon him.

Admitting Our Helplessness

Jennifer Kennedy Dean, in her book Set Apart, shares the story of how she lost her husband to brain cancer. She recalls, “During the final months of his illness, he became utterly helpless. The man I had leaned on for 25 years, whose strength I counted on, was now dependent on me for his every need…When he was strong, I was not so attentive. His needs did not fill my waking moments, when he could meet them himself. His helplessness spoke louder than any word he might have spoken. Because of his helplessness – because I knew he could do nothing on his own, I was on watch day and night. My experience is but a pale shadow of the reality of the Kingdom, but it still helps me understand how my weakness is the opening for His strength. The fact of my helplessness is the only prayer I need. It speaks louder than eloquence.”

When we humble ourselves and admit our deep need for God, He will come into those empty, weak, hallow places and fill them with His mighty power and grace. But we must acknowledge that we cannot and never will be able to save ourselves, to heal ourselves, to be everything to everyone, to accomplish anything without Him.

Where have you been struggling against your own limitations? Where do you keep pressing on in spite of your inability to fix something in your own strength? We all have “thorns” in our flesh that Christ has allowed to remain in order that His power (not ours) may be demonstrated through them. Take a moment today and turn to Christ who waits patiently for you to invite Him in.

His power is available to help you, but you must first acknowledge your need.

There is nothing like being nine months pregnant to remind a woman that she is not in control of life. I was told yesterday at my 37 week prenatal appointment that I am officially “full term,” but all that really means is that I can go into labor at any moment.

Babies don’t wait until everyone is “ready” for them – they decide to come when they are good and ready. You could be in the middle of a traffic jam, on a great little weekend getaway, at the office, or trying to get a good night’s sleep (which seems to be their favorite timing to enter the planet) and we moms and dads just have to accept it. They come on their terms, not ours – and often when it seems like the most IN-opportune time.

Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time to give birth….” (Ecc. 3:2) The word “time” here is “a fit or proper time, an opportunity.” God knows the day that each of us ought to enter and exit this world and He planned it long ago, before the beginning of time.

If the day of our birth and death are pre-determined by God, why should we think that the other events of our lives are up to chance or that we (necessarily) have control of them?

Letting God Lead

Timing is everything. Speaking your mind, flipping a pancake, changing a car’s oil – it’s all about the right timing. Many of the most important events in our lives, though, can’t be pre-planned, even if we wish they could be.

Falling in love, the exact day or week of the conception or birth of a child, landing “our dream job” – these are all things that we can’t control.

Proverbs 3:5-6 holds some great advice for us at each turning point in our life journey: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

I often think I know what is best for my life. So do you. It’s a human condition called “pride.” I think I know what my children need, too. Often I am right. Sometimes, I realize that I was totally wrong.

That is the why the best move to take is to surrender our timing and plans to God. Multiple scriptures warn us against thinking we know best or that we can predict our future:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” – Proverbs 14:12

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” – Proverbs 27:1

God Knows Best

One of my best friends just had her world turned upside down in the matter of a week. She had planned on staying in our area and running our homeschool co-op. She had planned on being an “auntie” to my new baby and to her other friends babies who are about to be born. She had planned on continuing to invest in her current community.

These were all great ideas, but God had different plans for their family. In two weeks, my friend and her family will be moving to the Midwest due to an amazing job opportunity that has opened up for her husband there.

Even in the midst of mourning all that she will be leaving behind, she has a peace in her heart and has watched God confirm in multiple ways that, while unexpected, this move is in His perfect time and plan for their lives.

Has anything happened recently to “mess up” the plan you had for your life? Or maybe you just think that God is behind on something – that you’ve been waiting too long and surely He needs to “get on board” with your program?

The God who knows every hair on your head and planned the day of your birth knows what to bring your way this day. This week. This year. He knows what is best for you even better than you do. If you’ve been resisting His timing, I encourage you to do what you must to release control and surrender to Christ’s plans for you in this season.

Often, this just means looking up to Him and saying, “I don’t understand why this isn’t happening (or is happening), but I choose to trust you. I choose to believe your time and way is best, Lord.”

Before long, I will be embracing a son. But I’m reminded today that it won’t be on my time table. It will be on God’s. And I’m cool with that, because His timing is always best.