Genesis 37 / Philippians 2:5–11 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. — Romans 8:28 Have you ever cried over something so much that you felt like you'd run out of tears? Your eyes are swollen while a current of unrest still rages through your soul. And you look up toward Heaven in utter confusion... "God, why aren't You doing something?" Why aren't You answering my prayer?
Why aren't You intervening in this hopeless situation? Why are You allowing this to happen?
Why, God? This is the crux of one of the hardest parts about following God... You know He is all-powerful and can literally do anything, but it's devastating when He is not demonstrating His power through the things you are begging Him for most. 01 How do you resonate with these questions and feelings in your life right now? Unanswered prayers can leave us feeling like we keep hitting a detour instead of our intended destination. Detours that go on for too long can begin to feel more like dead ends. What we thought was a pause turns into a screeching halt. The story of Joseph is one with detours and what seemed like dead ends. We encounter his story starting in Genesis 37. There are many parts of Joseph's story that felt less like a detour and more like an actual reversal of the direction he thought his life would go... There were long stretches of time when it must have felt like God was doing nothing. And we might have similar feelings when we've hit a dead end and nothing looks like we expected: That prayer will never be answered…
The relationship we've dreamed of will never be reality… The dream of doing ministry will never happen…
The pain will never go away…
The healing won't be possible…
The false accusations against us will never be righted… The hard circumstances will never get better… |
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God is still with us even when we feel like we are falling behind, stuck in detours, and derailed from our ideal plan. |
God is still with us even when we feel like we are falling behind, stuck in detours, and derailed from our ideal plan. |
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02 If you find yourself in what feels like a dead end, what are some of the lies you're tempted to believe? Confess some of these and open your heart to what God may want to show you today. Joseph's journey shows us that God is still with us even when we feel like we are falling behind, stuck in detours, and derailed from our ideal plan. Joseph's story also shows that even when we fall, we will eventually rise. Detours and dead ends may be a part of our story, but they're never the whole story. Joseph had times where he temporarily fell back into what felt like a detour, but then he eventually rose. Here, we see a pattern of rising and falling. Let's take a look at some of these events: |
How could you be thrown into a pit by your family, sold into slavery, and then unfairly imprisoned without looking at God and asking "Why?" Joseph's falls were not just little bumps in the road. And the rising moments did not feel like instant relief. No, there were stretches of time in between these rising and falling events. God had a plan. And his brothers' betrayal was not the end of Joseph's story. From the pit to the palace, Joseph was eventually positioned to spare the lives of his family and the entire nation of Israel. 03 Reflect on some of the details of Joseph's story. What stands out to you the most? This rising and falling pattern doesn't just apply to Joseph. We actually see the same pattern revealed in Jesus' life. |
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04 Even during our "falling" times, God is still working. How did God use the times when Jesus "fell"? How has God used some of your "falling" times? The tension between the falling and rising can often create what look like detours and dead ends. But through the examples of Joseph and Jesus, we see another redemptive reversal: Good is where God leads us. Even when what we're experiencing right now doesn't feel good, we can trust that, no matter what, God never derails from His plan of eventual good... in His way, in His timing. There may be situations, circumstances, diagnoses, and outcomes that don't seem good in the moment, but God's story for us never stops at a dead end. Romans 8:28 reminds us of this: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. And we pray, as you reflect further on the evidence of this in Scripture, you are even more encouraged by how faithful God is to us. He was working for good in the suffering of Joseph. He was working for good in the suffering of Jesus. And the same is true for us. But even better because we have the assurance of the ultimate good Jesus made a way for us to experience in eternity. |
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Excerpted with permission from 30 Days with Jesus by Lysa TerKeurst and Joel Muddamalle, copyright Lysa TerKeurst and Dr. Joel Muddamalle. * |
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Do you have unanswered prayers that leave you feeling like your life has been utterly detoured? What lies have you believed because of it? Today, let's remember God's dependable faithfulness and know that His plans haven't been derailed! ~ Devotionals Daily |
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30 Days with Jesus: Experiencing His Presence throughout the Old and New Testaments |
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30 Days with Jesus is the perfect daily guide to prepare your heart to encounter Jesus in a deeply personal way during the Easter season. In 30 Days with Jesus: Experiencing His Presence Throughout the Old and New Testaments, authors Lysa TerKeurst and Dr. Joel Muddamalle will help you: - Reframe your questions and doubts as opportunities to look for Jesus with greater intentionality throughout your day.
- Make connections between the Old and New Testaments so you can understand the Bible as one complete story.
- Overcome dread or confusion toward studying Scripture as you receive six weeks of guided readings, reflection questions, and relevant takeaways.
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In 30 Days with Jesus, authors Lysa TerKeurst and Dr. Joel Muddamalle will help you: - Reframe your questions and doubts as opportunities to look for Jesus with greater intentionality throughout your day.
- Make connections between the Old and New Testaments so you can understand the Bible as one complete story.
- Overcome dread or confusion toward studying Scripture as you receive six weeks of guided readings, reflection questions, and relevant takeaways.
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