“As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved”. Gen. 43:23
Joseph is sold to slave traders by his brothers. But by the grace of God, he becomes the chief administrator of Egypt at a time when there is a great famine in the land. Because of Joseph’s foresight, Egypt is the only nation that has a stockpile of grain which it now feeds itself on, as well as sells to foreigners. Joseph’s father Jacob sends Joseph’s brothers to buy grain from the chief administrator, not realizing that this is the very brother they sold to slavery years ago. During their interview with Joseph they mention they have another brother, Benjamin, a favourite son of Jacob’s because he especially loved his mother Rachel, who was also Joseph’s mother. The brothers are given grain but Joseph tells them they will not see his face again unless they bring Benjamin with them.
The famine is severe throughout the region and Gen. 43:2 tells us that “when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, ‘Go back and buy us a little more food.’” The sons remind Jacob that the condition of their return is to bring their brother Benjamin with them which Jacob is reluctant to do, having presumably already lost his son Joseph. After much deliberation, the patriarch resigns himself to the potential loss of his other beloved son saying “if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” He is in a precarious position. His fate rests in the hands of another and he has no choice but to place himself at the mercy of this narrative.
It is a position we often find ourselves in as well—times when we must totally trust God in situations that could easily work against our favour. Like Jacob, we recognize that the outcome is totally in God’s hands. And in the acknowledgement of that truth we somehow find faith to accept the notion that “if I lose, I lose.”
Such faith has many applications in life. Perhaps it is the fear of rejection where, as you approach your vulnerable moment, you must be reconciled that, “If they reject me, they reject me.” Or perhaps it is the fear of perfectionism that must be countered by the courage to say, “If I fail, I fail.” Or maybe it is death itself that you must inevitably approach saying “if I die, I die.” We hear something of this disposition in Queen Esther who, feeling trepidation in having to ask the king’s mercy for her people, bravely accepts that, “If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)
Such statements might seem more like resignation or fatalism than faith, but there is great wisdom in this disposition. Our prior acceptance of the worst case scenario allows us to move forward according to a more pure faith in God, rather than one restricted only to our hopes. It asserts faith regardless of consequences. “If I fail, I fail.” “If they fire me, they fire me.” “If they don’t like me, they don’t like me.” “If I suffer loss, I suffer loss.” These are all empowering statements that help us move forward as we accept the uncertain outcome of situations we have no control over.
As we embrace the unknowns of our circumstances, and the very real possibility of a worst-case scenario, we disarm the enemy of his greatest weapon against us—our own fear of undesired outcomes. We are then left with a more pure faith that now trusts God even in those precarious situations of life where things can truly go either way. No longer paralyzed by the fear of failure or of harm, we throw ourselves into God’s hands, trusting that His mercy will continue to be with us even if the outcome is not as we had hoped. Into His hands we commit our spirits. And, in so doing, we are free.
Rob Des Cotes
Imago Dei Christian Communities
FOR GROUP DISCUSSION:
- What difference do you see between the faith that says, “I trust God that this or that will happen,” or one that simply says “I trust God no matter what?” What do we have to let go of in order to grow from the one posture to the other?
- Which of the following statements do you struggle with most? “If I lose, I lose.” “If they reject me, they reject me.” “I I fail, I fail.” “If I die, I die.”
- How does faith transform such statements from resignation into something that is more honouring to God, and more empowering to us?
FOR PRAYER: Apply any one of the statements in Question #2 to a particular situation where you feel resistance to this posture. Talk to God about your fear and ask the Spirit to give you faith, especially in relationship to your worst-case scenario.