How can we trust God's plans when they seem delayed, as in Genesis 48:11? The pain of long delays • Years passed while Jacob believed Joseph was dead. • Joseph endured slavery and prison before rising to power. • Delays felt like shattered promises, yet God was silently arranging every piece. Genesis 48:11 in context “Israel said to Joseph, ‘I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your offspring as well.’” (Genesis 48:11) • Jacob’s words acknowledge decades of grief suddenly reversed. • The moment proves that what looks impossible to us is never impossible for God. Lessons on trusting God’s timing • God’s timeline and ours rarely match (2 Peter 3:8). • Delays are not denials; they are stages in a larger plan (Habakkuk 2:3). • God sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). • His promises remain certain even when invisible (Numbers 23:19). Reasons we can rest in delayed plans 1. God’s character: faithful, unchanging, true (Lamentations 3:22-23). 2. God’s providence: He works “all things together for good” (Romans 8:28). 3. God’s sovereignty: even rulers, famine, and prison bowed to His purpose for Joseph (Genesis 50:20). 4. God’s track record: Scripture after Scripture shows fulfilled promises despite long waits—Abraham for a son (Genesis 21:1-2), Israel for deliverance (Exodus 12:41), believers for Messiah (Galatians 4:4). Practices that help us wait faithfully • Recall past deliverances—keep a record like Jacob building altars (Genesis 35:3). • Meditate on promises—memorize verses that anchor hope (Psalm 119:49-50). • Serve faithfully in current assignments—Joseph managed Potiphar’s house and the prison (Genesis 39:4, 22-23). • Choose gratitude—Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons instead of complaining over lost years (Genesis 48:15-16). • Remain in fellowship—believers encourage one another while waiting (Hebrews 10:24-25). Encouragement for today If God could reunite Jacob and Joseph after decades, He can fulfill every promise He has spoken over your life. Delays are stages, not dead ends. Trust the Planner who sees beyond the horizon and brings beauty from every wait. |
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