There come times I need to be reminded that God is sovereign. He’s in control. Of all things. From the beginning to the end.

He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him. He has a plan. He has a story to be told.

Nothing takes Him by surprise. He has an answer for everything. All things, big and small, are being woven into His sovereign and redemptive plan.

Psalm 33:11, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (NIV).

But despite the knowledge of God’s sovereignty, our minds struggle to reconcile the atrocities we face. Brutality in Charlottesville. Terror attacks in Barcelona. Policemen shot down. Just to name a few.

Maybe it even becomes more personal for you. A broken relationship. Rebellious child. Or terminal disease knocking on your door.

It is at times like this that it is difficult to find an answer. We cannot solve the problems that we see. We grapple to make sense.

But then I remember the story of Joseph. A boy who was sold into slavery by his older brothers. When you look at the story of Joseph, it appears that something went deeply awry. Somehow God’s plan got messed up. From the outside looking in, it looks like evil wins.

But now, take a look at God’s perspective. Psalm 105:8-13 says, “He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance. When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.” Long story short, God had a plan all along to take Israel to Egypt and back to Canaan. It should not come as a surprise to us. This was part of God’s plan all along. Four generations ago, to Joseph’s great grandfather Abraham, God said this, “Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13).

This really does blow my mind. We may think we are in control, but in actuality, it is God. And because God is ultimately in control, we can find rest for our weary souls.

What are you facing today? How will you face your personal adversity?

God’s plan in your life may not look anything like you expect. Things may not appear to be going well. You may not be able to see how God is going to use your life for good…and for His glory. It may appear that God has somehow messed up. But hold on…because there is more. There is always more. God is working out his plan from generation to generation. His plan is never short-term!

Under the protection of Joseph, we see the nation of Israel grow and flourish. Psalm 105:23-24, “Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And the Lord made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes.”

God’s story is not just about Joseph. God’s story is not just about you. God’s story is about every tongue, tribe, and nation. God’s story spans the entire globe.