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The Playlist - part 2 - Take Courage

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Waiting is hard.
Do you like waiting?
I don't like waiting.
But......
Are you in a season of waiting?
What are you waiting for?
Someone?
Something?
Answers?
God?

Take time to read the lyrics below to a song that rocked my soul the first time I heard it. I find myself in a season of waiting and this song spoke to me. I also feel this song speaks for itself. Go ahead give the lyrics a read. (If would rather you can listen to the song "Take Courage" Video).
----------------------------
Slow down, take time
Breath in He said
He'd reveal what's to come
The thoughts in His mind
Always higher than mine
He'll reveal all to come

Take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He's in the waiting
He's in the waiting
Hold onto your hope
As your triumph unfolds
He's never failing
He's never failing

Sing praise my soul
Find strength in joy
Let His Words lead you on
Do not forget
His great faithfulness
He'll finish all He's begun

So take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He's in the waiting
He's in the waiting
Hold onto your hope
As your triumph unfolds
He's never failing
He's never failing

And You who hold the stars
Who call them each by name
Will surely keep, Your promise to me
That I will rise, in Your victory
And You who hold the stars
Who call them each by name
Will surely keep, Your promise to me
That I will rise, in Your victory!

So take courage my heart
Stay steadfast my soul
He's in the waiting
He's in the waiting
And hold onto your hope
Watch your triumph unfold
He's never failing
He's never failing

 He's in the waiting... [1]
-------------------------------
So back to waiting. I want to draw your attention to the story of Joseph and his season of waiting. The song comes alive in this story.

Joseph was the youngest of 12 children. He was the favorite child in the family, and his father spared no expense in showing that. Jacob, his father, gave him a really nice coat that made Joseph’s brothers dislike him even more, and they decided that they wanted to kill him. But instead of killing him they decided to sell him as slave.

Joseph was found himself in the home of Potiphar where he was placed in charge of the household. Potiphar’s wife, however, found Joseph attractive and tried to seduce him. When Joseph would not betray Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife turned on him and said that he had attacked her. Joseph was thrown into prison.

In prison, God still looked out for Joseph as he succeeded in all that he did. He interpreted dreams for two guys, a cup bearer and a baker, in prison. The baker’s dream did not turn out too well for him, but the cup bearer’s dream had him regain his positon with Pharaoh. The cup bearer said that he would remember what Joseph did and put in a good word for him with the Pharaoh, but he forgot, so Joseph was left in jail.

"The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream." (Genesis 40:23-41:1, NIV)

Joseph was left in jail and was waiting for the day when the cup bearer would come back with the word that he was freed from jail. But the minutes turned to hours, the hours to days, the days to weeks, the weeks to months and the months to years. As the time passed, I feel Joseph wrestled within himself. I believe that he had some trouble trusting God in this situation. I feel he doubted what God was doing. I wonder if he felt like God did not care. He had done nothing wrong, and yet, he was here in jail…. waiting. He waited for two full years.

But this isn’t where Joseph’s story ends. As we see in Genesis 41:1, Pharaoh had a dream (actually, he had two). This was a dream that no one could interpret for Pharaoh. All of a sudden a light bulb goes off in the cup bearer’s head, and he remembers Joseph. The Pharaoh immediately calls for Joseph, and he tells Pharaoh what the dreams mean. Pharaoh is so pleased and thankful that he puts Joseph in charge of the land of Egypt. He was second in command under Pharaoh. [2]

We can all agree that Joseph’s life was anything but smooth. He was betrayed by family, then sold to Egypt, accused of something that he did not do, and was thrown in jail and forgotten about for two years. But you see, Joseph was right where God wanted him to be.

God was in the waiting. Joseph just sat back and watched his victory and triumph unfold right before his eyes.

I wonder if some of you might be waiting for something to happen in a situation that you are facing. You have done everything right. You have prayed and prayed and prayed for something to change, but it feels like everything you say is falling on deaf ears. The longer the wait goes on the more we begin to doubt and lose trust in God. The prayers begin to stop, and we give up. I know. It is a hard place to be.

Whatever season of waiting you are in - trust God with it. Hope for the best. He never fails.
--------------------------------- 
This post references the lyrics of a song. The meaning of the lyrics and the song in this post is my own interpretation.
[1] Artists: Kristene DiMarco, Bethel Music Album: Starlight Released: 2017 Genre: Christian/gospel Songwriter(s): Kristene DiMarco; Jeremy Riddle; Joel Taylor
"Take Courage" can be found on Spotify.
[2] Read Joseph’s story in the book of Genesis 37-50
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