Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him – Psalms 105:19.
Each of us has a duty to destroy the myth that God’s purpose for our lives comes willy-nilly. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Lord always requires our cooperation. Incalculable number of people since the dawn of time have come and gone never having actualized God’s purpose for their lives, even though they knew without a shadow of doubt that He had called them for something special and far bigger than themselves. God calls us as we are, but doesn’t use us as we are. For Him to use us He changes us. He takes us through His own mandatory process of transformation. This right here is the biggest reason why the incalculable number of people go off at a tangent with God never to realize their purpose of life.
Joseph had an awesome and fabulous dream and vision. He was specifically and purposely elected by God’s grace for this. He didn’t choose it, he was chosen. He also didn’t choose the path his dream would take him, willy-nilly. God calls us but we don’t choose the path our calling takes us. We might have problems and issues, but we don’t choose how God resolves and deals with them. God doesn’t plead with us, He instructs us. Sadly, so many in church today expect God to plead and beg them – even though they’re drowning and chocking on their mess. The God of the Bible and the god of the figment of our own imagination are light years apart.
God doesn’t beg, cannot be manipulated by our pride and self-importance, and is not swayed by our self-pity. How Joseph felt about the rigors of the process his vision took him through didn’t change God. Likewise how we feel about how God is dealing with us doesn’t change Him. He doesn’t change and adapt to us, but we must change our attitudes and conform to His ways. This Joseph learned and knew very well. God’s testing authenticated, prepared and approved him to walk right into his purpose, dream and vision. The word of God tests us, as it did Joseph, for the same reason. Those who would achieve their purpose, dream and vision must cooperate with tests and shun offence.
0 Comments