Sitting on the throne

I've got two questions for you:

First, how well do you trust in God's plan and timing?

Second, how forgiving are you?

I can't answer those questions on your behalf, but I can answer for myself. I never trust in God's plan as well as I should, and I never forgive as wholly or quickly as I should.

Regarding God's plans and timing, I want what I want when I want it. I don't like waiting, and I don't like when things don't go the way I intend. Honestly, it makes me mad. I wonder why God and I can't be on the same page. Just give me what I want, God, or get out of my way and let me get it myself.

My friend Jackson calls this "sitting on the throne."

Jackson and I both fall victim to wanting to be the king of our lives. It's easy to forget that we are not in charge. In a way, calling ourselves the king is like a court jester waiting until the king leaves the room and then sitting on his throne. The act of sitting on the seat does not give us any actual control or power. Our fate is still undeniably in God's hands.

In the Bible, James talks about how foolish it is for us to make plans. These are a few of my favorite verses from God's word (James 4:13-17):

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Could it be any clearer? James says, "If the Lord will, we shall live ..." Clearly, I have no business sitting on the throne, not even in my own life.

Of course, there's also the forgiveness question I asked earlier. I am often a failure in this regard. I have what is sometimes known as Irish amnesia, meaning I hold grudges like nobody's business. I quickly forget the good thing that happened yesterday but remember the smallest slight from ten years ago. And you can be sure that I'm still mad about it.

I'm not proud of this trait. I believe it's sinful, actually. But I am not perfect, and I never will be. Jesus was the only perfect man to ever walk the face of the earth. I fall far short of the standard He set. Of course, He knew I would, and He paid a heavy price on my behalf. I'm thankful for His selflessness.

Joseph of the Bible was much closer to being Christlike than I am, at least about trusting God's plan and forgiving others. We can learn a lot from his story in the book of Genesis.

Joseph grew up in Canaan. He had 11 brothers, and he was his father's favorite child. His brothers were jealous of him, and they considered Joseph full of himself, especially after he told them of a dream he'd had. In the dream, they all bowed down to him. Of course, what brothers would like that dream?

They took things to the extreme, though, selling Joseph into slavery. He ended up in Egypt, working for the Pharoah. After God helped Joseph interpret a dream for the nation's leader, he became the Pharoah's right-hand man, and nothing happened in Egypt without his blessing.

The dream Joseph interpreted concerned a forthcoming famine. Joseph prepared Egypt to thrive during the famine, ensuring food was stored so there would be enough for the people to eat and for the country to sell to other nations. Rather than suffering, the Pharoah prospered during the famine.

Here's where the story gets fascinating, though. Joseph's brothers eventually made their way to Egypt to buy food. Guess who they bumped into? Yep, Joseph, the man they'd sold into slavery years earlier.

Joseph's brothers did not initially recognize him, but he recognized them immediately. While he tested them a bit, he had forgiveness in his heart. And where did his forgiveness come from? From trusting in God's plan. Here's what Genesis 50: 20-21 says:

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Wow! Joseph was sold into slavery. He was taken from everything he knew and loved. Yet, when he bumped into the responsible people, he forgave them because he knew his journey was part of God's plan.

The evil done by Joseph's brothers actually had a remarkable outcome. By forfeiting Joseph's freedom, they set in motion a plan that would see Joseph become a leader and help thousands of people, including his own family members.

If Joseph could trust God, as he did throughout his life, I can do better. And if he could forgive his brothers, I can be more forgiving, too.