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MIDWEEK STUDY June 13, 2007
WHY? by Kim Dillhoff “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in our time of need.” --Hebrews 4:15-16 FOLLOWING JOSEPH As we follow Joseph through Genesis 37, we begin to feel sorry for him, as we should. What happens to Joseph is unthinkable, that his own siblings would treat him this way! And, for me, for a long time, the big question was, “Why, if God loves Joseph so much, doesn’t he just snatch him out of these horrible circumstances?” TRYING TO UNDERSTAND It is easy to look at Bible stories, where we can quickly skip to the end and see why the circumstances had to happen the way they did and what good came from them, to understand God’s purpose. It is not so easy to understand when we are in the midst of a trial, and cannot see past this minute, what the purpose could be in our own lives. So, let’s stop and think for a minute about Joseph enduring his pits, plots, and ploys. (See Shoshana’s message “Why? Because all Things Working Together”, http://www.hopeontheinside.org/SUNDAYSERVICE%20why-allthings.html) If God did not just pluck him out of the situations that he had to endure, and we know that there was eventually a very good reason (the saving of a whole nation, which produced our Savior) then maybe God had a purpose for him to endure these hardships. Maybe, He has a purpose for us and our children’s hardships. We know from scripture that God loved Joseph. We, also, know that God loved Joseph so much that he was willing to let him suffer through many hardships to make Joseph strong enough to carry out God’s will. Here is what the Women of Faith Study Bible, has, in part, to say about Joseph:
“Joseph comes across as a spoiled teenager with an inflated sense of self-importance. His father favors him, which makes his brothers jealous, and God favors him, which upsets his father. We can all hope that , should we be given special treatment, we would be gracious enough and wise enough to know how to respond to it…remember that despite what appears to have been Joseph’s early failings, his trials in Egypt taught him to obey God. And, these events were God’s way of bringing about famine relief for Jacob’s family and preserving the nation that would eventually produce the Savior of the world.” PITS, PLOTS AND PLOYS Your situation may be very difficult and may (or at least it does) for me, feel as if I go from one pit, to a plot, to a ploy, to a pit and back to a plot. Not that everyone or everything is against me. In fact, I now see these things as opportunities for growth with God. I am not always happy. I find a lot of circumstances, dealing with illness, very sad. But, I am Joyful. I am joyful because, I know that I am: “…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” --2 Corinthians 6:10 And that: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” –1 Corinthians 2:9 (referencing Isaiah) I believe that if God is allowing you (and Katie and I) to go through many trials and tribulations it is not because He does not like you. It is because He loves you so much that He wants you to be strong in Christ for yourself and for your family. He also may have plans for bigger things that need your involvement. Take this time to consider the fact that the very thing that feels like might be breaking you apart, may be the thing that will, eventually, forge you into a strong tool, that God can use. We can take these times of struggle and pain to help our children, who will have unbelievable challenges, to see struggle as growth and not a beating down of the soul. This is a time for new ways of thinking, acting, hoping, and loving. This is a time to turn to God and let Him show you new hope and peace. We can show our children that a time of struggle is a time for peace, not for fret and worry. I believe that God wants to use this time to teach us. If we turn to Him, we can grow and teach our children to find an abundant life in Him, even while we are in a pit. Because, we know that there is purpose in our pain. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” --Philippians 4:6-7
************************************************************** A couple of notes here, if your spouse is not supportive or does not believe in prayer, God will give you the strength and blessing that you need to take care of your chronically ill child. If you are a single parent, you have a very difficult job. God will also bless you with what you need. Please write to me, if you can or find support. I pray that you will press into Jesus and let Him carry you and your child. If you need to have a personal relationship with Jesus, please follow this link http://www.hopeontheinside.org/getwithgod.html If you are not sure, I want to encourage you to find freedom, rest, salvation, wisdom and love. These things are freely given by God, if you will only freely accept Him…His Son. These are tools that I could not have lived without in raising my children. I pray that you will tap into these incredible gifts for parenting that God has to offer you. But, first you must receive.
**************************************************************** If you feel overwhelmed and need some support please write to the email address below or go to the Forum on this site.
If you are raising a chronically ill child, please send me an email at findingtruejoy@yahoo.com and tell me a little about yourself, including your age and the age(s) of your children, if you don’t mind, so that I can know more about you.
**************************************************************** Kim Dillhoff lives outside of Portland, OR with her (supportive) husband of 22 years and two children, still at home. Alex (16) and Katie (13).[here is the link to Katie’s poems that she wrote awhile ago and allowed Hope on the Inside to print. http://www.hopeontheinside.org/KATIESKORNER.html.] Kim, also has a son, Rob (25) who lives near her. Kim and Katie both suffer from Fibromyalgia (FM) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Kim also suffers from Myofacial Pain Syndrome (MPS). She was diagnosed in 2000. Kim has been a Christian most of her life. But has followed Jesus’ teachings much more closely, in order to have a personal relationship since 2002. She feels blessed that God has set her in a family by blood and of Christian sisters who support her, and her family, with prayer and love.
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