Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:7)
A CERTAIN STYLE OF VIDEO adventure game captivates kids, and often adults too. You are a movie character made of plastic blocks and you must travel through a virtual world to save the day. Sometimes, however, you first have to move in a downward or seemingly wrong direction for a while to accomplish something important before you can actually move ahead. In real life, we can feel like we’re moving in the wrong direction too.
Joseph may have felt that way. After being sold into slavery, he had finally found a secure spot in Potiphar’s household. That was, until lies sent him straight to prison, placing him further behind than before. But he humbly accepted God’s hand in his life, served God anyway, and eventually found himself running the country. He discovered, like Peter said, that he had to humble himself, to “go down” for a while. Then, God could move him back up into just the right spot.
Maybe it’s like that in our lives too. Maybe, sometimes, God can take the times when life presses in and use them to our benefit. Certainly we feel anxious during those moments, but we can give those feelings to God, trust in His care, and believe that He will raise us back up again. When He does, the rewards are much better than a high score on a video game.
Play a family-friendly video adventure game with a child you know.
Diane Gardner lives in the San Francisco Bay area where she enjoys theater, street fairs, and watching the sun set with her husband.