Adversities come with different faces to different individuals. Consider Joseph
- betrayed and sold to slavery by his brothers – Genesis 37
- falsely accused by his Egyptian employers – Genesis 39:6-18
- imprisoned by Potiphar – Genesis 39:19, 20
- forgotten by the butler he helped – Genesis 40:11-23
Adversities for Joseph must have seemed a downward spiral interspersed with momentary breaks to just catch his breath!
Are you faced with a similar situation, when the closest voice to you, your mind whispers incessantly, “do you still maintain your integrity?” How many have been broken and compromised, yielding to the pressure? How did Joseph survive?
Two virtues stand out strongly in the life of Joseph. Integrity for Joseph was not anchored on self-esteem neither yet to prove a point, for then it would be something else, not integrity! Integrity is integrity only because it is an anchored commitment to and on God! Joseph recognized if he gratified his desires, he would sin against God. Joseph had a depth of relationship with God such that it would have grieved Joseph to sin against Him. He couldn’t bear to sin because he couldn’t bear to disappoint the God he loved.
Secondly, do you recognise that Joseph possibly, later had contact with all those who wronged him, from his brothers to Potiphar and the butler, the latter in the court of Pharaoh, as second in command! No record is shown of him seeking retribution or vengeance, and in the case of his brothers the records spoke to forgiveness.
The point being emphasised here is that Joseph did not carry the burden of what wrong was done to him through the time of his travails. Otherwise, he could not stay focused on God. He came to understand an important principle – whatever good or evil any man did to him, it was because God allowed it, not because his afflicters had the power! He learnt to commit his matters to God, and there is the living proof of our text – Matthew 11:28-30
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Will you bring and exchange the burden of your adversities to Him? He is waiting for you, no need to trade your integrity, dear child of God. Selah
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