Suffering: Friend or Foe?

A decade after Joseph arrived in Egypt, he occupied the second most powerful position in the government. God revealed in Pharaoh’s dreams that there would be seven years of abundant harvest followed by seven years of drought. Joseph managed programs to save the nation from starvation. He constructed warehouses and filled them with grain during in the seven years of abundance.

What made Joseph trustworthy? First, he never promoted himself as special. He gave God credit for interpreting Pharaoh's dreams. He saw himself only as God’s messenger. He never asked Pharaoh for privileges because he believed God had provided for him and protected him through all the suffering he had endured.

Suffering is often considered an enemy and a sign of God’s punishment. Adversity, though not always from God, can be used to strengthen your faith as well as your character. When harsh conditions are approaching, let them be the means for renewing your faith and trust in God. He will cleanse you and provide a more perfect way to live. 

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And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.

~Romans 8:28 The Living Bible

Family Peace: Putting God in Charge - Part 2

Couples who develop a high level of trust for each other learn how to avoid destructive power struggles. Developing trust for each other's strengths and weaknesses contributes to a balance of power that's important for creating a strong, healthy relationship. The appropriate delegating of power in a relationship relies on feelings of trust, peace, and contentment.

Developing and sustaining trust hinges on how others behave. Your perception of others and the world is influenced by behaviors you observe and the personal experiences you bring to a relationship. If you were deceived or abandoned in a former relationship, you might be distrustful about being vulnerable again. Surviving emotionally depends on knowing who to trust.

Jesus knew about the need to trust. Jesus is trustworthy because he is the Son of God, so he asks you to trust him as a friend and Lord of your life. Listen to Matthew 16:25. "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Taking this step of trust and faith is a significant choice for positive change.  

Family Peace: Putting God in Charge - Part 1

Seeking a balance of power has always been a struggle for a nation and   for families. Negotiating this balance is preferred to power struggles that strive for  dominance. Power struggles tend to damage each person's integrity, which in turn jeopardize the trust and respect that anchor a relationship. Without trust and respect, a relationship is in danger of eroding.

Strong healthy couples learn to honor each other's need for power that is embodied in their gifts and talents. Honoring each other's need for power recognizes a need for independence that compliments the need for dependence. Acknowledging and accepting each other's strengths calms the fears and insecurities that are intertwined with power struggles.

Communication centered on healthy discussion opens a way for making choices which are based on trust and respect. Trust and respect assume each person will act with integrity and honesty. Proverbs 11:13 acknowledges that. "You can put your confidence in someone who is trustworthy." Becoming trustworthy is a choice God will honor.