Article March 18, 1991 Issue

Spiritual lessons for hard times

When things couldn't look worse, the timeless lessons of the Bible can show us the way out, through God's precious love.

Richard D. Soule

Within a two-year span, my marriage failed and my job situation deteriorated to the point where I felt totally worthless. I had relied on God my entire life, and He had always met my needs, but during this time I felt alone and unloved. I was angry and bitter. I thought God had forsaken me.

But even in my agitated mental state of wanting to blame something, I was able to turn to the Bible. I had always enjoyed reading the account of Jacob's son Joseph, who was abruptly separated from his father, endured many trials, and yet always triumphed through his reliance on God. Now the story helped me through this time of deep personal crisis. I was able to draw some helpful analogies between Joseph and myself. Joseph had his faults, but he certainly did not deserve to be thrown into the pit and taken into slavery in Egypt. Yet, even after he was sold as a servant to Potiphar, an officer in Pharaoh's army, he did not act angry, bitter, or surly. On the contrary, the Bible says that because of Joseph's wisdom and trustworthiness, Potiphar made him overseer in his house.

How could Joseph have become so trustworthy when he had been treated so unfairly? The answer is that Joseph always trusted God with his life. Joseph was able to endure under adverse circumstances because he trusted that God was guiding his life, regardless of his human situation. And, as the story tells, even though Joseph spent years as either a servant or a prisoner, he was ultimately freed and able to prevent Egypt and the surrounding countries from suffering the effects of a severe famine.

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