How Did I Get Here?
“Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.” Genesis 37:24
Your pit cannot stop God’s promise. “How did I get here?” is often asked when we find ourselves in a situation we did not expect. Sometimes, it can be positive, such as when Christina and I got a free upgrade on a flight. After reclining my seat entirely flat, I remember lying down and thinking, "How did I get here?". At the same time, the other passengers looked at me as if to say, "How did he get here?" as I fumbled with the settings, trying to adjust my seat back to the upright position. Sometimes, that question can be asked with a deep sense of distress, such as, "How did I get so angry?", "How did I get addicted to this?", "How did my parents end up in divorce?", or "How did I get so far away from God?" I would guess that Joseph asked the same question when he was thrown into the pit by his angry brothers, “How did I get here?”
In Genesis 37, we find Joseph in a cistern commonly used in the ancient Near East, which could be over 25 feet deep. The tension in the story grows when we discover Joseph's name means “God will increase,” highlighting his name has an implied promise yet it looks nothing like his circumstances. What do you do when God’s promises concerning you do not look like the circumstances surrounding you? When the pit of your problem looks nothing like the promise of God? What we learn throughout Joseph’s life is he believed God’s promise and held onto upon the dream God gave him by trusting in Him.
Life with God does not mean that we will not find ourselves in pitiful situations. The pit we find ourself in could be the pit of pain experienced through the loss of a loved one, the pit of regret through lost opportunities, or the pit of heartbreak when we feel rejected. During such times God reminds us through the story of Jospeh that our pit does not revoke God’s promise. Today, you might feel that you are in the pit of shame and unworthiness. When the enemy subtly whispers, “How did you get here?” remind the enemy of this pit saving promise, “We are not worthy of God's love, but Christ, our surety, is worthy, and is abundantly able to save all who shall come unto Him.“ Life with God means we can have hope in our darkest moments, for even the pit of the grave could not stop the promise of Christ’s resurrection.
REFLECTION
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that caused you to ask, “How did I get here?” How did you see God’s hand in that moment, whether in hindsight or at the time?
Joseph’s circumstances in the pit did not align with God’s promise for him. Have you ever felt that your life didn’t reflect God’s promises? How did you hold on to faith in those moments?
What “pits” have you experienced in your own life (e.g., pain, regret, rejection), and how has God’s presence or promise provided hope through those difficult times?What are some things in your life that you once considered essential but have since realized may be unnecessary or even burdensome?
