Where is God in this pandemic? Could it be that God is near, closer than you realize? The story of an ordinary Joe shows that you can grow through what you’re going through.
Ordinary Joe
Find the ancient story of a man named Joseph in the book of Genesis chapters 38-50.
Joseph was hated by his older brothers. They saw him as an egotistic, pain in the butt. You would not want to get on the bad side of these boys. They conspired to kill him. Joe was spared from death only to be sold into slavery and taken to a foreign land distant from all that was familiar and comforting to him.
He was far from a happy camper.
However, Genesis 39:1 records, “The Lord was with Joseph…”
Joseph was alone, but not ALL alone.
He didn’t just survive, “…he prospered…” even in a prison.
Has COVID felt like a prison sentence?
If you look carefully, can you see evidence of God’s presence in the middle of your mess?
God can turn a mess into a message. You can grow through what you’re going through.
8 Step
s To Grow Through What You’re Going Through
1. Be careful of short-term thinking – your struggles will not last forever, but you will. You have a destiny. Life is more than meets the eye.
2. God uses everything for His glory and your ultimate growth.
3. Don’t make matters worse by doing something you’ll later regret.
4. Instead of trying to please others, focus on doing what pleases God.
5. See troubles as something useful to develop your character and maturity.
6. Waiting is sustained effort focused through prayer and surrender.
7. Grateful people see every day as a gift from God.
8. Trust God in your everything.
Which of the above eight ways stands out to you? Please leave a comment below.
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#1 Stands out to me. My human default “lense” in hard situations is SHORT TERM: ME-FIRST-NOW. This results in “don’t do” responses: #3 doing something regrettable (often to self-soothe and fill gaps in my life) and #4 Trying or please others (and myself) with quick fixes or activity which keeps me from moving into deeper, positive responses.
With the pandemic being past 1 year, short term thinking in a long haul situation has resulted in fatigue and anger and focusing on everything we CANNOT do.
It takes intentionality and God’s help for me to choose long term and growth perspectives.
All 8 speak out to me.
Thanks.
You are so right about the cost of short term thinking. The 2020’s could well be a decade of pandemics or other radical cultural shifts. Growing a crisis-proof faith is vital.