This time, I felt that feeling of home. Like seeing an old friend after so many years have passed by.
Joseph had a journey. A yucky, mucky journey. Yet, Joseph was a man of strength, patience, and faithfulness. A man of character regardless of circumstance. And his circumstances stunk.
(You think you had a bad day? Try being sold into slavery by your own siblings, hoping they'd never see you again.) But without those circumstances he would not have saved Egypt from famine.
I can't imagine Joseph woke up each day while he was in jail thinking "Oh boy, I must be left here to rot in prison for such a great reason! Something awesome will come because I am rotting here." If he did, I would wonder if he was human, and if he was sane.
More often than not, life is covered in gook. It's the reality of life's journey. The question is, what do you do with it? Regardless of situation Joseph kept his disposition and carried on, holding firmly to his trust in God.
My life is on a journey right now. A journey in transition. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for this transition to a new school. But it does come at a price. A price I wasn't ready to pay right away. The price of breaking ties with people back home, now that I'm attending a year round school. The price of breaking ties with my previous school. And so on.
Not going to lie, it sucks. More than I expected. But I was reminded of something today. My mother reminded me of what I had said several years ago. I had dreams of leaving all my friends and family behind to enter into a new culture...completely unfamiliar, and completely on my own.
I had a taste of it with my missions trip to Panama, not knowing anyone there, and all I could do was lean on God. The experience was worth the trouble,I promise.
(Archived post with more details for the curious...found below.)
Now I'm once again put in a different culture, though not necessarily new, and cut off from so many of my supporting pillars and communities of friends/family. So whether it is that dream coming true in a small way, or simply another taste of a bigger dream yet to come...only One can answer that question.
All I know is this is where my journey is leading, it's up to me to decide what to do with it. I could sit and sulk at losing so many ties with close ones...or I can play with the muck (cause playing in the mud can sometimes be the best) and lean on God, and only God, once more. I can follow Joseph's example and let his trust in God direct his path.
It's not fun going through the muck and mire of life sometimes. But honestly, it's worth it if I learn to seek refuge in the right place; God. There really is no better thing.
Joseph got it right. He new what the important part of the journey was. He understood that it's not what you're given that matters, but it's what you do with what you're given.
So here's my question to you, dear reader.
Do you focus on what you're given, or what to do with what you're given?
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