The story of Joseph is teaching us, each week, that he was placed in situations that were beyond his control. From being placed in a pit to die, sold into slavery, or wrongfully imprisoned, each of these terrible things that happened were beyond his capacity to control.
We are also learning, maybe even more importantly, how he seems to take more of a responding approach to these events, rather than simply reacting to things he cannot control.
That has me asking the question this morning in my time of reflection, "What can I NOT control about my situation(s)?" As I thought on this question, I began to become disheartened. But, as He so frequently does, the Holy Spirit brought this verse to my memory: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Paul instructed the Philippian church to go to God with their anxieties. And God would respond by providing the peace that the anxious Christian craves most.
As I was listing the things I couldn’t control (of which is far too much to detail here), it began to dawn on me that these things that I cannot control are opportunities to trust God.
I was quickly taken to a natural follow-up question: "What can I control about my situation(s)?" Again, scripture is so faithful to provide us with insight and direction. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)
Paul commanded the Philippian Christians to focus on the ways in which they should respond and gave them standards as they did so. He even asked them to recall what they had seen modeled for them and to put them into practice.
We can take this instruction from scripture and apply it to our "out-of-our-control" situations as well. The things you can’t control provide opportunities to trust God. The things you can control provide opportunities to honor God. And even though being in a pit, or being in a prison wasn't ideal for Joseph, we can look, as he did, and see that the situations we experience provide wonderful opportunities to respond biblically.
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