You Can Rise Above Your Beginnings

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The Lord was with Joseph...
Genesis 39:2

Joseph didn't come from an ideal family. He was the eleventh son of Jacob, a con-man and a conniver. By this time, however, Jacob had got his spiritual act together. But his ten older sons took after their dad. They once deceived and killed an entire town of men because one of them raped their sister (Genesis 34). Now they're about to commit another deed of treachery, selling Joseph into slavery. Yet Joseph turned out to be a man of greatness. What's the bottom line? That you can rise above your beginnings! Look at Joseph. Perhaps you've been rejected, or discovered the people you thought loved you really didn't. That's Joseph's story. But, 'The Lord was with Joseph'. Those words change everything!

Regardless of what happened yesterday, if you remain faithful to God He can rearrange tomorrow in your favour. Many people who've been mistreated are still focusing on the people who hurt them, waiting for them to make things right. In a lot of cases that isn't going to happen. If you've been wronged you need to turn to the One who won't hurt you, and who is there to help and heal you. Face it; some relationships aren't going to get fixed! Your parents may never accept you. You may not be able to escape the problem you've been living with or resolve it to your liking. God's not limited by your past, He's only limited by your lack of faith. So trust Him. '...If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8:31 NIV). If God is for you, in the final analysis it doesn't matter who's against you.
Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Comments

Pietro Brosio said…
It's so true: God is not limited by our past, He can change us completely for an uplifting new life. And even if we have a weak faith, I think He can greatly help us and totally transform us.
Steve said…
Thanks for this encouraging comment.
Wanda said…
Amen. Glory to our unlimited Lord!
photowannabe said…
Amen Michael. Why do we hang onto grudges and brow beat ourselves? God doesn't. Oh to be more like Him and not to look back.
ChrisJ said…
God knows, God understands, He changes us and them. Sufficient unto the day... Praise God for tomorrow -- and the final tomorrow.
kc bob said…
Whenever I think about Joseph I remember that he was a teenage boy who lost his mother to death and had a hurting father who saw Joseph's pain and tried to help by giving him a wonderful cloak.

Another wonderful aspect is the way that God changed his heart after his brother's showed up in Egypt. I love it how God helps us to let go of the past and find something redeeming about it.
Suz said…
So very true that God is not limited by the things we think are limiting!

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