Most of us find some measure of security in living in familiar surroundings with familiar daily routines with familiar relationships. Change of whatever kind seems to bring about within us perplexity, apprehensions, and fears/insecurities of differing degrees. Some among us love ‘change’ and the adventure of experiencing the unknown and unpredictable, but I suggest that for many of us, substantial change including loss of those things that we hold dear regarding our surroundings and relationships can be quite upsetting. Life changes forced upon us e.g., displacement caused by war, loss of employment, breakup of a marriage, death of a loved one, etc., can be incredibly stressful, prompting even PTSD in some individuals.
One of the most amazing stories of someone surviving a great upheaval of his life is the Old Testament story of Joseph found in the book of Genesis [chapters 39ff]. Joseph was one of the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob. Through the scheming of his jealous older brothers, Joseph was uprooted from every familiar relationship and circumstance surrounding his life. He was sold by his brothers into slavery, ending up in Egypt working for an Egyptian officer of Pharoah. He was then falsely accused of attempting to assault his master’s wife, whereby he was imprisoned and forgotten. Through an unusual string of events, Joseph was brought before Pharoah, king of Egypt and asked to interpret a dream of Pharoah. As a result of this, Joseph was placed in a very high position in Pharoah’s ‘cabinet,’ eventually becoming what appears to be second in command behind Pharoah.
When Joseph was first sold into slavery, he lost virtually everything-his cherished relationship with his father and younger brother Benjamin; his living circumstance, his familiar language, his friendships, and was suddenly forced to move to another country, learning a [likely] unfamiliar language, living in new and unfamiliar surroundings, eventually falsely accused and thrown into what was very likely an incredibly uncomfortable prison [no TV, air conditioning, showers, workout room, etc.] with a very uncertain future awaiting him. His deliverance and exaltation to next in command to Pharoah is clearly a miraculous event from the hand of God. When Joseph confronts his brothers who came to Egypt to buy food, and discloses to them who he really was, they feared his retribution for what they had done to him. But Joseph says that ‘as for you, you meant your treatment of me for evil purposes but God meant it for good ..” [Genesis 50:20]
A Drone’s View
When we have suffered loss or unwelcome change of one kind or another, it is very hard to see how any ‘good’ can come out of what we are or have just experienced. It takes a ‘drone’s’ view to see the whole terrain and begin to observe how good might come out of our loss or the upheaval of our life. But I suggest that part of, and maybe a very large part of, seeing that ‘good’, is dependent upon our willingness and ability to accept our new reality, adapt accordingly to it, and act responsibly in the midst of it. These three components are, I believe, what fundamentally makes up an emotionally mature person. Joseph is an example of someone who accepted, adapted, and acted responsibly. Such a person is a ‘survivor,’ and far more likely to endure unsettling change, even unwanted change. But Joseph also believed that his God was making good come out of the evil his brothers had done to him as revealed by his statement to his brothers cited above. Paul also states in Romans “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” [Romans 8:28]
Last year my wife and I transplanted a large full grown Robin Watchet azalea from one part of our back yard to another bed. It was somewhat of a ‘bare root’ transplant, and frankly I was not very optimistic of its survival through the winter. To my great surprise, it not only survived but put out many beautiful blooms in the spring. Indeed, it was a ‘survivor’ and adapted to its rather violent upheaval seemingly fully, doing what it is ‘designed’ to do-bear beautiful blossoms wherever it was [trans]planted.
Are you going through some very difficult life changes right now? Have you reached the point of accepting those changes, those losses, and have you decided to adapt to the new reality, and act responsibly in the midst of it, asking God to enable you to bear ‘fruit’ for Christ in the midst of your circumstances?
CJS
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” [Luke 6:46]
Thanks Mona.
A key to accepting, adapting and acting is recognizing that God is far wiser than we are. If I do not accept, adapt and act in faith, then I am basically saying that I know more than God does. I recently read through the book of Job. The basic truth contained in this saga is that God knows more than we do. Therefore, we must rely on His unchanging nature (love for us, goodness, grace, mercy, compassion) and trust that He will always act in our best interest – from His perspective and knowledge – not from ours. In Job’s case, he and his friends did not know what was unfolding in Heaven. If they had known, then their conclusions would have been different. I don’t always know what God is doing, but I do know that He is immutable. Therefore, I can accept reality, adapt accordingly and act responsibly by trusting in His unchanging nature. For strong-willed people like myself, this has been a hard lesson to digest, but I have concluded that it is the best way to live and aligns with Scripture.
Thanks much for your inciteful comments Dan. I totally agree with you!
Great article, , , thanks.