Do you ever feel like you’ve lost your spiritual sparkle?

I sure have!

Simply walking through a typical day can remove our shine quickly as we navigate everything from fractured relationships to on-the-job stress.

But God, who sees our circumstances from a much higher vantage point, always has a purpose. He always has a plan. We may not see it in the moment, but it remains true nonetheless.

Genesis tells the story of Joseph, a boy from a large family who happened to be his father’s favorite. Joseph’s story has enough sparkle remover moments to help any of us see our bad days through a different lens!

First, his jealous brothers schemed to kill him, but opted to throw him in a pit instead (Gen. 37:24).

Then, they sold him to a group of traveling slave-traders (Gen. 37:28).

Then, he was brought to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, a guard captain of Pharaoh’s (Gen. 37:36).

Then, after settling in there, Potiphar’s wife makes a move on him and accuses Joseph of wrongdoing (Gen. 39:16-18)!

THEN, Potiphar believes his lying wife and tosses Joseph in prison (Gen. 39:19-20)!

Just enduring a series of events like that would wipe most of our spiritual sparkle clean off us, wouldn’t it?

Yet, here’s what I love most about Joseph’s story and his example – his eternal perspective.

By the time his story comes full circle, he makes this statement to his very apologetic brothers, “…you planned evil against me; God planned it for good…” (Gen. 50:19-20)

Joseph understood Who, ultimately, was in charge. Consequently, no pit or prison, no false accusation or relational dysfunction was able to take his spiritual sparkle away.

He knew God had a plan and, while I’m sure he didn’t necessarily see it perfectly while staring at the walls of a pit or the inner room of a prison, He never stopped trusting.

God planned it for good.

Today, has the weight of the world or difficulties with people caused you to lose your luster? Do you feel like your spiritual sparkle is tarnished beyond hope?

Look up, my friend! Shift your vantage point from earthly to eternal and know that whatever you’re going through today, God has planned it for good!

Until next time, Grace and Glory!