I heard something on the radio last week ... during one of those 'minute blurbs' by a K-Love pastor.  He was talking about the injustice that was done to Joseph, son of Jacob, and the unfolding of events that transpired afterwards ... and the ‘gist’ of it was that our ‘famine’s might very well be part of God’s plan’.  There's no way I can repeat it verbatim but it struck me as significant at the time.  I tried to find more online and had to eventually give up on finding this pastor's version and, perhaps, discover my own.

So, I've been reading the Bible ... (though I already do know the story) ... about Joseph ... in the book of Genesis.  Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob.  The 10 older half-brothers were jealous of Joseph and they despised him, even though Joseph did them no wrong.  They plotted to harm him and ended up selling him into slavery.  He became the slave of Potiphar, the Captain of the Guard and officer to the Pharaoh of Egypt.  But Potiphar could see that there was something special about Joseph so he put him in charge of his entire household.  He was just 17 years old.

After an unfortunate situation, Joseph was wrongly accused and thrown into prison as punishment for something he did not do.  Yet, even in prison, Joseph was looked upon favorably and was put in charge of all the other prisoners ...

God had given Joseph the ability to interpret dreams and it was this gift that finally got Joseph out of prison and resulted in him becoming second in command over all of Egypt.  The Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of his entire palace and that anyone in his presence should treat him as if he was the Pharaoh himself.  Joseph's wisdom from God about the Pharaoh’s dreams led him to prepare the Egyptians for a great and terrible famine that would affect the lands; ultimately the preparations saved the lives of a multitude of people.  Because the famine was so great, Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to buy food from the Pharaoh.  Little did they know that Joseph, who they assumed dead by now, was the overseer of all sales.  Joseph recognized his brothers and through a series of events, Joseph revealed himself and forgave his brothers and provided for all of them as well as their families.  He was 39 years old when he was reunited with his family.

Some may think, how could Joseph forgive them after what they had done?  If they had not been so cruel to him, he would never have had to be someone’s slave … he would never have been wrongly accused … he would never have been imprisoned for so long.  Some may even say he lost 22 years of his life!

But Joseph knew … he knew that God had ordained the whole thing.  That’s right!  Every injustice that was done, every unfair incident, every wrongful intention was a necessary part of a greater plan that was working its way to fulfillment.  There’s a verse in the Bible that I’ll not soon forget; it never meant much to me until I felt the loss of someone very dear to me who in his final days had been reading the book of Habakkuk.  At some point (either before or after his passing, I do not remember which) the pastor at the church I attend gave a sermon (also of which I do not remember) but referenced Habakkuk 1:5 which says: “Look at the nations and watch—  and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”  Now right off, this verse does not immediately move me or stop me but given in context, it means more and this is the part that has stuck with me … in reference to the verse, the pastor said this: 

“God’s plan is greater than man’s suffering!”

Now, that statement does not necessarily make me want to shout out a celebratory AMEN but it does give me reason to pause and to acknowledge the Truth of it.  I feel like I have been in a ‘famine’ … I have spiritual, emotional, and physical deficiencies that I carry around with me every day, which is probably why the radio one-minute blurb caught my attention.  Maybe you’re in a ‘famine’ too.   Sometimes, we have to go through things that seem unfair, endure circumstances that are painful, and witness events that are heartbreaking.  It’s in those moments that it is so necessary to seek out the purpose of God, to believe that He uses all things for His Glory, and to trust that HE DOES HAVE A PLAN … even if it might take 22 years to come to fruition.

And when it’s really hard to believe that anything positive could arise out of the ‘pits’ of life … I remind myself that nothing that I go through, no matter how difficult it seems at the time, can compare to the suffering and painful death that Jesus experienced on my behalf.  Jesus was God’s Own Son … and He allowed … EVEN ORDAINED … Him to suffer and die horribly … because of His Plan for the Redemption of mankind.

“God’s plan is greater than man’s suffering!”

God is at work even when we are in the midst of a famine.  For some, a season of famine may be the only way to realize our need for a living God who has a plan for each and every one of us.  He did not abandon Joseph … and He won’t abandon us either.      

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

 “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.

“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.

“Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. Jeremiah 29:11-13 (MSG)

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 (MSG)

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him.^[a] They are the people he called, because that was his plan. Romans 8:28 (NCV)