If we are going to grow in our walk of trust, then He must crush anything and everything we depend on, other than Himself.
I kept thinking of the life of Joseph. You can read about him in Genesis 37-50. As I dove into this text this morning a few things struck me:
- Joseph's pride had to be crushed for him to be used by God. (see 37:2-8)
- The betrayal of first Joseph's brothers, then Potiphar's wife, was included in God's plan--I even dare say, ordained by God Himself. God's thoughts and ways are not our own! (see chapters 37-39)
- Even though betrayal sent him into slavery and to prison, the Lord God was with him and showed him mercy. (39:21)
- We see his maturity--dependence upon God--by his words of humility, "My wisdom is God's, it is God's, it is not me!" (paraphrased from 41:16 based upon prior evidence of his heart attitude)
- The Lord God made him fruitful in the land of his affliction. (41:52)
- The sovereign will of God evidenced by Joseph's words, "God sent me...God sent me...it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me...a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt." Wow. It was God who sent him through the affliction to the other side of victory.
I have recently learned the lesson of crushing. He took me to the place where it was only Him and me. The truth is that God must break us--crush us--if we are going to be taken to maturity and used mightily. He must destroy any idol we hold above Him; and He does this in love and mercy, that we might be able to experience the life of freedom He intends to give.
So do you want to go deeper? Hold on, and look up at His face. He is forever faithful; and beauty awaits.
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