Setbacks can cause us to change our plans, adjust our expectations, or deal with unexpected difficulties. We may be doing everything right and still face challenges and setbacks. We may be walking according to God’s plan and yet, it rains.
Why? You may ask.
When it rains, it pours
For Joseph, it didn’t just rain, it poured. From being thrown into a pit then sold to slavery; to being sent to prison for false accusations; to being forgotten by his fellow prison mate; to being appointed as Pharaoh’s viceroy after interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams advising him to prepare for the famine that was to come, Joseph’s life went from one crazy event to the other. Ultimately, he was the vessel God used to bring Egypt through an agricultural catastrophe. It was all part of God’s plan.
Growth
Just like with Joseph, God uses the betrayal, the disappointments and brokenness we go through to shape our character, refine our faith, and mold us into the person He needs us to be for a purpose greater than ourselves.
Of course, it’s not always easy to see the positive side when we’re in the midst of a difficult situation. It’s natural to feel frustrated, angry, or sad when life doesn’t go as planned but it’s important to remember that God always brings good out of the most challenging circumstances.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
With all that said, while life challenges can be difficult, without them, there is no growth. Without the pressure of coal, there is no diamond. Without the crushing of grapes, there is no wine.
