Back when I was working at a pregnancy resource center, I had the honor and the heartbreak of counseling with a woman who had experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of living in a broken, sinful world. As my colleague and I debriefed after the session, I was struck by something she said. In essence, what she shared was that the difference Christ makes in our lives is not that He keeps us from painful experiences, but that He offers freedom and healing in the midst of them.
Genesis 40 brings this truth home. Here we find Joseph – wrongfully accused of a heinous act, and serving time in prison as a result. Poor Joseph, right? Sold into slavery. Serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. Forgotten by the cupbearer. Seems like a really raw deal – until you get to the end of the story.
Most of us are going to experience one or two devastating events in our lives. Maybe you won’t. But I wouldn’t count on it. I guess my message today is for those of us who have walked that road – or are perhaps walking it now. Be encouraged. We are not left to suffer in the way that the world does. We have a hope – and a future.
What was true for Joseph is true for all the children of God. The Lord is with us. In Psalm 34:18 we learn, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” That’s good news for the woman I met with that day, and it’s good news for us.
If you are wrestling with trauma from your past, or even now, please know that there is hope in Christ. Joseph’s story is a testimony of how God can use the most tragic of events for our growth and His glory. Will you trust Him with your heart today?
