Coat of Many Troubles! ♡♡♡

 

"Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, "Hear this dream that I have dreamed; Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf. His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us? So they hated him even more for his dreams and his words" - Genesis 37:5-8

Say what now Joseph? I mean, you & I can sympathize with Joseph's brothers. First, thier Father Jacob, loved Joseph more than all the other brothers and what's more, he get's him a coat of many colors to show it. OK! - "Well, he had him in his old age, but what about the rest of them squad?". I'd be mad too #facts. And Joseph, probably wore this beautiful robe of many colors all around everywhere lol. Scriptures says in Genesis 37:4 that his brothers hated him, and could no longer speak peaceably with him - yikes. Someone might argue that it wasn't Joseph's fault his Father loved him. Well you have a point, but Joseph could have also kept the peace, if he stayed humble too. At least we know, that is what Jesus the son of God would have done. Infact, that is what Jesus did. [Philippians 2:1-11]

We talk a lot about Joseph's prison to palace story, but never really the sin of his own heart that may have led him on this very complex journey. God was doing so much in the lives of Israel as a people, but I believe God was also working in Joseph's life too. In any case, it all worked together for his good, but please follow me, let's talk real stuff here. See, every now and again I go through this 'lack of contentment" thing in my heart [err it's called pride]. I get weary, because I overrate myself  with where I think I should be by now in ministry or who I think Jesus might be calling me to be in the future [can you handle my truth?]. It could be the endearing things people may have said to me in the past, or it could be super obvious things I have been gifted with in my life, that fuels this kind of pride. However, in those self centered moments, I can trivialize what God may be doing for ONE person in my life, because it doesn't seem enough according to "worldly standards", or doesn't seem enough to prove my relevance and usefulness in God's kingdom [covers face]. I believe to also have inherited these from "self focused" teachings in the past, that sell the "prison to palace" story to everyone. 

The truth is, not every one will have the "Joseph's story" ending in this life [of course most def rewarded in eternity, you bet]. I am not even trying to be funny with you. Thankfully my husband has rebuked me time and time again when I start to lose focus. Embracing pride instead of humility. In recent times also, he brought my heart back to this portion of scripture about Joseph. What God decides to do with our lives is entirely all of His business. Our role simply is to follow Him one day at a time. And what that may look like for each person varies. It could be swaddling thousands along or even one. It could be something as mundane as crying out in the wilderness like John the Baptist, tendering sheep in the wilderness or taking "food" to your brothers like David in the field. The important thing is that through God's leading each day, you are doing what you have been called to do, even if it's the most obscure thing anyone will ever do.

"Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?" And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in his mind" - Genesis 37:9-11

It actually occurred to me that although Joseph's brothers got bitter and annoyed the first time, Joseph went and told them his dream again the second time [in case they didn't hear him properly the first- "they just gotta know, who cares?!" - LOL]. Joseph for sure saw how it wiled them up at first; the resentment, hatred, jealousy and strife that was born out of it - but thier hearing|learning of this "awesome dream" of his, was way more important than how "unloved" his brothers had felt all of this time. His Father rebuked him. We can be like this too, with all of the "cutting edge" privileges that seem to exist in our own lives.  Some "last borns" can relate with the inexplicable joy, they experience from being set apart, differentiated and most loved from thier siblings. No matter what privileges, we should never become prideful and insensitive to the people around us, especially to those who are the weakest. This is not the kind of heart God calls us to have. "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in it's various forms" - 1 Peter 4:10

Ultimately, whatever God gifts us or does for one is so that it can serve all. We should seek each day to be content in Christ, no matter what our service to God looks like at any given point, He has chosen to give breath to our lungs. Can you give the same energy to one, like you would to a thousand? Friends, our relevance and Identity, should come from God's deep love for us, and the finished works of Christ, no matter what "cutting edge" privileges we think we may have. God's love in turn should then compel us to serve the people in our lives without any pride, prejudice or selfish ambition!

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value each other above yourselves, not looking for your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" - Philippians 2:3-4

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive his own reward according to his labour" - 1 Corinthians 3:6-8

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" - Romans 12:18

              P.s Thanks to hubs for always calling me higher, when I lose my focus!♡♡♡

Love

SR