Perseverance

Joseph was a dreamer. At 17 years of age he was going about his business feeding the flock. Now Joseph was special in the eyes of his father Jacob, because he was born when Jacob was no longer in his prime. As a matter of fact Joseph was Jacobs’s favorite child. He loved him more than his other children. In fact, he loved him so much he made him a coat of many colors. Now how would that make you feel if you were one of Joseph’s brothers?

You’d probably be jealous and maybe a little envious, and Joseph’s brothers, well they hated him plain and simple. As a matter of fact they couldn’t even carry on a peaceable conversation with him. So Joseph, happy go lucky in his colorful coat has a dream and shares it with his brothers. He tells them we were binding sheaves, or bundles of wheat in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance, or bowed down to my sheaf, they responded to Joseph saying are you going to rein or rule over us and have dominion over us, so they hate him even more.

Then Joseph has another dream and shares it with his brothers and his father. He tells them how in his dream the sun, the moon and eleven stars made obeisance or bowed down to him. This time his fathered rebuked him saying are your mother and I along with your brothers going to bow down to you on earth?

His brothers grew angrier, but his father thought about the dream.

What had Joseph done to cause his brothers to be so angry? Absolutely nothing. He didn’t cause his own birth. He didn’t make his father love him, nor did he make his father make his coat of many colors. He wasn’t even responsible for his own dreams. All he did was share his dreams.

Did you cause your own birth? Are you responsible for the dreams or visions God has given you?

I will issue a word of caution here. Not everyone will understand, encourage or support you in your vision, goals, ideas, or Gods plan for your life. Be careful with whom you share your dreams.

Your only responsibility is to have that childlike faith, believing and trusting in God as you forgive those that trespass or conspire against you, or try to deter you from God’s plan for your life, and persevere, or persist in anything you have undertaken. Maintaining your purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles or discouragement, continuing steadfastly, that’s the definition of perseverance.  Believing God for whatever He has placed in your heart whether it’s healing, a job, a relationship, a spouse, the birth of a long awaited child, a business venture, deliverance, or salvation for those you love.

You must be resolved, or stand steadfastly in your faith as you persevere.

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