Key Verse: 36 – "And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me."
Key Words: all these things are against me
Do you know anyone like this: an attitude of despair – all things are against me? Every one of us has a choice of our attitude toward adversity. You can have what I call the Genesis 42:36 attitude or the Romans 8:28 attitude. The choice is yours.
In A Turtle on a Fencepost, Allan Emery tells of accompanying businessman Ken Hansen to visit a hospitalized employee. The patient lay very still, his eyes conveying anguish. His operation had taken eight hours, and recovery was long and uncertain.
“Alex,” said Ken quietly, “you know I have had a number of serious operations. I know the pain of trying to talk. I think I know what questions you’re asking. There are two verses I want to give you – Genesis 42:36 and Romans 8:28. We have the option of these two attitudes. We need the perspective of the latter.”
Hansen turned to the passages, read them, then prayed and left. The young man, Alex Balc, took the message to heart. He later enjoyed full recovery.
Everyday we choose one of these attitudes amid life’s difficulties – to be beat-up, or to be up-beat.
To say with Jacob in Genesis 42:36: “All these things are against me.”
Or to say with Paul in Romans 8:28: “All these things are working together for good to those who love the Lord... .” The choice is yours.
What to do:
✞ Let your attitude glorify God in all things.
Are you Saved? | Get These Free Devotions Everyday By Email
