V1 – When there is a need, what do you do? Do you look around at each other? Or do you ask the Lord?
(Prayer – Lord, I often forget to come to you about everything. I easily go into despair. Help me, Lord. I know you are present; you are always with us, ready to help and do wondrous things.)
V2 – After asking the Lord, your next step is to do something. Do not be idle. If there is a specific direction from the Lord, do it. If there is no specific direction, the Lord will still provide/make a way because it’s His word, and you trust Him. Remember:
Ecclesiastes 11:6 NLT– “Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.”
God has called you and me to a life of working hard. Work at all times, put effort. Sow your seed. Don’t worry about the growth of the seed. It’s the Lord who causes it to grow.
V4 – Jacob fears and does not Let Benjamin go because of Trauma, He fears what happened to Joseph might happen to Benjamin as well.
(Lord, help me rise above trauma and past failures or pains. I must put my trust fully in you in every moment.)
V6 – God gave Joseph the dream interpretation, made him ruler of Egypt, and now we see Joseph’s quality of hard work and diligence. Even if He delegated and had workers, He was still present overseeing. His brothers went to Him.
When you have a task/dream/duty/business etc, be there to oversee. You must know what’s going on.
V9 – Joseph now remembers the dreams. With dreams or God’s messages or plans for us, it can happen or be fulfilled after many years. Until his time comes.
V21-22 – When you sin against the Lord and do not repent or make restitution, you will always hide, and guilt will always be with you.
Repentance and restitution.
This website explains it this way… “Repentance demands a radical turning from sin and a sincere turning to God (James 4:7-10). Sincere repentance leads to moral renewal, often evidenced by restitution – the effort to right one’s wrongs whenever possible.” ¶610.3 REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION – The Free Methodist Church in Canada (fmcic.ca)
V36 – When they tell Jacob the story, Jacob complains bitterly against them. Jacob had never healed, and because of past wounds, Jacob says in despair, “Everything is going against me.”
Have you/I found yourself saying that? Where is your trust? All things are the Lord’s and all people, even our family members and children. Give it all to the Lord, and you will not suffer from this kind of pain. In all things, trust the Lord in prayer and have peace from God in your heart. It’s clear that God had a plan for all this, but Jacob did not understand it, and He never had peace. It also seems that his trust in God in these moments was almost not there. He therefore had no peace.
So, when you find yourself in life’s pains, what do you say? Do you say, “Everything is going against me!” or do you say “
But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? Psalm 56:3-4 NLT
And at that point, when you despair, do you remember this:?
Romans 8: 35-37
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.