Trusting Amid Doubts
Christopher B. Harbin
Genesis 37:12-28; Ps 85:8-13; Mat 14:22-33; Rom 10:5-15
We often talk of doubt and faith as completely separate entities. Some would say that the presence of any doubt rules out the very existence of faith. We generally consider that true faith has little room, if any, for doubt. Is that really so? Can we live faithfully even amid the doubts that arise to tempt our faith?
Joseph was in a desperate situation. Life had once looked much better. He had stood as his father Jacob's favorite son and had abused that position before his brothers. Now, that same arrogance had stripped him of his robe, and he found himself at the mercy of the brothers he had looked down on. Things looked pretty bad on hearing they wanted to kill him. Even with Reuben intervening to have him cast instead into an empty pit, things did not look too good for his future.
Joseph had been his father's pride and joy. He was son of Jacob's favorite wife, his mother having died while giving birth to his only full brother. Life had been good, basking in his father's favor. Jacob had crafted a special robe for him, setting him apart from his brothers. Then he had had these dreams that set him above his brothers and parents as well. Joseph did not seem to mind telling these dreams, even when they got on everyone's nerves. He was destined to rise above the rest of his family, and wanted others to know about it.
The dreams and his father's doting had given him hope for a special future. Life was good, and it was going to get all the better. Everyone knew that dreams were the divine revelation, and his dreams had projected him into a position of great prominence. He knew that everything was going to go his way. The dreams were that bit of confirmation that put the icing on the cake.
He was unprepared for being captured by his brothers, threatened with death, then being cast into an empty pit. Perhaps this is where doubts first en ...
Christopher B. Harbin
Genesis 37:12-28; Ps 85:8-13; Mat 14:22-33; Rom 10:5-15
We often talk of doubt and faith as completely separate entities. Some would say that the presence of any doubt rules out the very existence of faith. We generally consider that true faith has little room, if any, for doubt. Is that really so? Can we live faithfully even amid the doubts that arise to tempt our faith?
Joseph was in a desperate situation. Life had once looked much better. He had stood as his father Jacob's favorite son and had abused that position before his brothers. Now, that same arrogance had stripped him of his robe, and he found himself at the mercy of the brothers he had looked down on. Things looked pretty bad on hearing they wanted to kill him. Even with Reuben intervening to have him cast instead into an empty pit, things did not look too good for his future.
Joseph had been his father's pride and joy. He was son of Jacob's favorite wife, his mother having died while giving birth to his only full brother. Life had been good, basking in his father's favor. Jacob had crafted a special robe for him, setting him apart from his brothers. Then he had had these dreams that set him above his brothers and parents as well. Joseph did not seem to mind telling these dreams, even when they got on everyone's nerves. He was destined to rise above the rest of his family, and wanted others to know about it.
The dreams and his father's doting had given him hope for a special future. Life was good, and it was going to get all the better. Everyone knew that dreams were the divine revelation, and his dreams had projected him into a position of great prominence. He knew that everything was going to go his way. The dreams were that bit of confirmation that put the icing on the cake.
He was unprepared for being captured by his brothers, threatened with death, then being cast into an empty pit. Perhaps this is where doubts first en ...
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