I'm Not That Person Anymore

So, I was listening to the radio and an older country song came on...the one about it was 1980-something. Remember that? I couldn't help but laugh at some of the references in it. But it got me to reminiscing about the past.

Do you ever get a bit down at just how HUMAN you are? I mean, all your failures, your weaknesses, your mistakes, do they ever just scream at you? Well, the thing is we have to remember that God created us just as we are. He created you with just the personality you have. He knew what all those weaknesses would be and just what mistakes and failures it would lead to. But He also made sure you had strengths as well. Strengths that lead to victory! He somehow can take all the good in you and the bad and mold it in such a way that suddenly your very frailty is what glorifies Him!

I was teaching a group of children Sunday and the story was about Joseph and all he went through. I emphasized to them that we can not base God's love for us on our circumstances. If we do that then we will constantly be on a roller coaster of doubt. God is constant and unchangeable. Life is not. People are not. So if you play He loves me, He loves me not with God you have placed Him on human terms.

Joseph was his father's favorite, living a somewhat spoiled life. He even had the gift of a special coat of many colors to show his father's favour.
(Up on top, everything is great so God must love me, right?)

But his brothers were jealous of his father's great love for him and plotted against him. They tore his beloved coat from him, ripped it and dipped it in animal's blood. They lied to their father and watched him weep even as the coins they made off the sale warmed their pockets. When Joseph woke up that morning I am sure he had no plans on being thrown in a pit and then sold to a band of gypsies! From there he was sold again.
(God, why me? What did I ever do to deserve this? Don't you love me?)

Although it probably wasn't what he chose, Joseph trusted God and did his best where he was at in life. Bloom where you are planted! Potiphar, captain of the guard, placed him in charge just under him.
(Yeah, I am doing pretty good so God must approve. Look how He is blessing me. Things have been rough but as long as I hang on He'll love me back.)

However, Joseph turned the head of Potiphar's wife. When he wasn't interested in her advances she accused him of attacking her. She even had the special coat he wore as second in command as her "proof" of what he done. Something about those coats. I think I would re-think my wardrobe if I was Joseph. He was thrown in prison.
(Why, Lord, why? I've done all you ask as best as I could! What more can I do? How could you let them do this to me? I am innocent! Don't you love me?)

He sat in prison for a very long time. The keeper of the prison knew he was different and placed him in charge of the other prisoners. Then one day the Pharaoh's butler and baker, who were also in the prison, both had dreams. Joseph correctly interpreted the dreams and all he told them happened just as he said. When the butler was released Joseph begged him to not forget him. "Please, tell Pharaoh I am here and innocent," he pleaded.
(Ah, this is it! God loves me. See, He is giving me a way out of this mess!)

But the butler went back to his everyday life and did not give him a second thought.
(God, I thought You would free me. Love=deliverance. I'm nothing. God Himself doesn't love me.)

Two years went by. Joseph continued to trust in the Lord. Finally Pharaoh had dreams no one could interpret. The butler remembered the young man in the prison and how he could read the meaning behind dreams. When he told Pharaoh Joseph was immediately sent for. Within a few hours Joseph was before the king of the land telling him what his dreams meant for the future. Good harvests were ahead but unbelievable famine would follow. Pharaoh needed to appoint someone to oversee the harvests who would make sure they had enough stored to save the people. Pharaoh said I know just the man. It is you, Joseph. I am sure when Joseph woke up that morning he had no clue that within the day he would rise to second in command just under Pharaoh. He would also have no way of knowing that God would use it all to save his family, reuniting them and bringing forgiveness and healing to all of them.

Joseph never gave up on God. He knew that the circumstances had nothing to do with God's love or power. So he trusted in the Lord to work it all out. But can you imagine if Joseph had played that game of He loves me, He loves me not based on all he went through? That is what the italicized wording represented. We know from looking backwards over Joseph's life that God was firmly in control. It is easy to see what folly it would have been for Joseph to give up on God and lose his faith.

Obviously his life also had it's ups and downs, no matter how dramatic. So why do we think our life is any different? God is in control! Look back over your life and the ups and downs you have had. I am sure you can say "I'm not that person anymore." Have you grown and matured? Do you feel yourself changing? This morning when I reflected on those memories that is one thing that hit me. The rough times are when I did most of my changing. The rough times stretched my faith, chipped away my self righteous independence and taught me to cling to God. So I can't get too down about all these human frailties that burden me, sometimes on a daily basis. The weaknesses, the fears, the scars from the past are just a part of me. They are not all of me. God is at work! He is molding me! Even when I am a slow learner He still loves me! And He is the best part of me! You know the saying "Less of me, more of Him"? I can truly rejoice because I'm not that person anymore!