It's All Good

3 Words

I’ve told you about how my life went when I was 17 years old.

I was an arrogant punk. I bragged all the time.

When you brag, you make ppl mad, and things go bad.

Then, I was a slave. And Potiphar’s wife tried to kiss me.

I was tempted to do it back. But I knew I’d get in so much trouble.

I was already in bad. And doing that would have made matters worse.

Still I got in more trouble. She lied. She lied about me to Potiphar.

He threw me in jail. It was the worst of the worst jails.

3 words in Genesis 40.

Genesis 40, verse 1 starts out this way...

Genesis 40:1 NIV

Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt.

Some time later.

Good things take time.

A good pizza takes time.

A good vacation takes time to get there.

Something good happened to me during this time.

I grew up.

It took time, a lot of time. During that time, God was at work in me helping me grow and become a better person.

How long?

17 years

I was 30 when I got out of prison. More on that in a couple of days.

We can be in bad places and wonder if God even knows where we are and what is happening to us.

He does.

I had dreams. Remember my dreams?

I’d wake up in jail thinking, hoping it had all been a bad dream.

I missed my dad. My brothers. My home.

I missed even being in Potiphar’s house.

Then I’d realize, I’m still in jail

But, God used that time to change me, for the better.

Hard times will do that.

Hard tests at school.

You work hard to prepare for the test. Then, you realize you learned some stuff you didn’t know before and passed the test.

Hard games you play. You practice, get ready to play. Then play and you realize you could do things you’d never done before.

Dribble a ball thru the other team.

Score a goal.

Hit a baseball.

Hard times end up being good for us. The are good b/c we learn things. And they are good b/c God is at work in us during them.

God is still at work.

God is always w/ you no matter where you are.

James 1:2–3 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

We get stronger.

Things get easier.

You have to take out the trash and lift a heavy trash bag. After you do it a few times, it gets easier, b/c you get stronger.

Even in tough situations, God is still at work using them for our good to help us grow stronger.

I did. 17 years I was either a slave or in jail. It worked out pretty good for me. More on that later.

Believe, God is at work even when life is hard.