We were at a Wegmans grocery store last week and decided to try out a few interesting fruits they had. This starfruit really caught our attention because of how much it looks like…a star (as long as you at it the right way)! You could hold it on the flat side and argue that it doesn’t look like a star…or you could simply change the way you’re looking at it.
The book of Genesis records the life of Joseph who was sold into slavery when his own brothers betrayed him and then was thrown in a dungeon after being falsely accused. Joseph stayed faithful despite all of that and was used by God in an amazing way during a devastating famine. Everything seemed bad but Joseph was able to stay focused on God even during those horrible years. One of the best ways to do that is to remember the perspective of thankfulness. Joseph could have given into anger and bitterness but was able to stay focused on the good that God was doing.
Several years into the famine, Joseph’s brothers came for food and he remembered them and had a choice. They thought he’d kill them, but he had a different perspective. Genesis 50:19-20 says, “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Instead of being bitter against his brothers, Joseph recognized God‘s goodness.
So was Joseph’s situation good or bad? Depends on how you look at it. He went through an awful situation but God used it to elevate Joseph and save a lot of people’s lives. Even when we’re right in the middle of difficult things we need to stay thankful for what God is doing…even when we can’t see the whole plan.
Thankfulness or anger and bitterness? Depends on which perspective we choose.
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