God is in Control!

Last night, at an infertility support group that I am a part of we talked about the story of Joseph & how God is in control, no matter the circumstances or how things appear:

God is in control, not our husbands.
God is in control, not our children or parents.
God is in control, not our doctors.
God is in control, not our boss.
God is in control, not a terrorist.
God is in control, not infertility.

(Embracing God’s Design for Your Life, pg 120)

This particular study really spoke to me & I really feel like I can relate to Joseph so much. Like Joseph (Genesis 37-42), by all outward appearances my dreams are being "shattered" by infertility but in reality, I know that like Joseph, God is placing me in the position to fulfill my dreams & His perfect will for my life. I think I can understand how Joseph must must have felt... the pain, the hopelessness, the despair, the fear at various times along his journey.

For those that don't know the story of Joseph... his brothers threw him in a well b/c they hated him & then sold him to merchants. Then in Egypt, just when things start looking up again & he's blessed by the Lord, he's thrown in jail based on LIES of a seductive woman! For 10 years, Joseph was either a slave or in jail. Can you imagine what kind of things & questions might have crossed his mind during that time? I imagine that he just doesn’t understand what in the world is going on & wants to know “WHY?” He’s doing everything that God would want him to... he’s not giving into temptation, he’s being godly, he’s doing everything right & he’s being punished – “WHY?” Honestly this is how I have felt at times during my infertility struggle. I sometimes think that if I could just see the end of this road maybe it would be easier for me to get through the “here & now.”

But this story is a reminder that all this really happened to place Joseph EXACTLY where he needed to be so that God could make his dreams & the Lord's perfect plan come true. And this actually goes for me as well.

It is clear that no human being can destroy what God has purposed. While Joseph was in the waiting period of more than 10 long years, God was preparing him to serve. And Joseph cooperated.

Joseph could have sat around in despair for years wondering where things went wrong, but he didn’t. Instead, wherever he was, he used his God-given abilities to serve the people around him.

(Embracing God’s Design for Your Life, pg 118)

God is in control & is placing me exactly where I need to be to fulfill His perfect plan for my life & until that day comes, I will serve & praise Him. Reminds me of the John Waller song, While I'm Waiting.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
~ Philippians 4:13

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
~ Romans 5:3-5

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
~ Genesis 50:20 (part of the story of Joseph)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
~ Psalm 121

Oh & then on my way home last night I heard a new song about God being in control. It just kinda "jumped" out at me, especially considering we JUST talked about God being in control just a few minutes before this song came on...

The 2nd verse is AWESOME!!! And let me tell you... God is sooooooo in control! I'll share another story later!