Staying Up When Life is Down

In my recent post, Life Can Be Cruel, I mentioned three things that seem to compound the intensity of our sufferings. Joseph experienced all three and stands out in the Bible as one who maintained a positive attitude and reflected a kind, and uplifting demeanor through it all.

For many of us it is much more natural to become angry when we do not get our way.  Or we become very impatient after a ninety second wait at our favorite fast food joint. If someone really ticks us off or highly offends us then we get bitter.

Our series of misfortunes and mistreatment run the gamut. When we survey Joseph’s life I wonder if we just gloss over it figuring he must be the exception.

But the Bible is clear that the stories were written to encourage us and give us an example to follow.  With that in mind, three words come to mind as we take a closer look at Joseph’s life.

1. Walk.  Joseph knew that he was walking with God.  There was no obvious sin in his life which brought on his personal hardships. While he was not perfect, he was not living under a cloud of guilt.

2. Willingness.  One of the hardest truths to accept is that God often uses suffering to refine us and shape us.  In the NT Peter mentions this in one of his letters.  As the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.” Yet how many of us find ourselves willingly suffering and trusting in God’s purposes?

3. Witness.  This no doubt gets overlooked way too often.  One reason we keep singing and smiling is to show God’s strengthening grace.  You can’t explain it, but you can experience it, and expose it.  What a testimony to those who do not know the Lord.  What a testimony to fellow Christ-followers.  What an example for our kids.

There is too much at stake to allow the hardships, the unjust cruelties, and the slander of others to get us down and keep us down.

Three simple words to keep you smiling when life is down.