September 13th Devotion
A Positive Attitude – Chuck Swindoll
When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.” (Genesis 40:6-8)
I smile as I read this, because if anybody ought to have had a sad face, it should have been Joseph. His plight was much worse than theirs. They were there on a whim of the Pharaoh and surely would not be there forever. But Joseph had been accused by the chief executioner's wife and didn't know if he'd ever see the light of day. But in spite of his own circumstance, he noticed the plight of these two men.
When your heart is right, even though the bottom may have dropped out of your life, it is remarkable how sensitive you can be to somebody else in need. They don't even have to spell it out. Rather than saying, "You think you've got a lot to complain about, listen to my tale of woe!" Joseph said, "How come you're so sad today, guys? What's wrong?" I admit it may be stating the obvious to ask this in a dungeon, but it shows Joseph's ability to think beyond his own immediate cares and needs in order to minister mercy to others.
One of the beautiful things about the right attitude is that, with it, every day has sunshine. You don't have to have cloudless days for there to be sunshine days.
Actually, it's rather amazing that Joseph would want to have anything to do with dreams. The last time he did that, remember what happened? He told his brothers about his dreams and it was "Operation Pit City." He wound up in an Egyptian slave market. You'd think he would say, "Not me, man! I'm off of dreams forever." But not Joseph. He said, "Oh, really? A dream, huh? Tell me about it."
That's what a positive attitude will do. It gets you beyond common hurdles. It will clear the deck. It will free you from hang-ups. It will show you an opportunity for ministry you never would have touched with a ten-foot pole.
When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.” (Genesis 40:6-8)
I smile as I read this, because if anybody ought to have had a sad face, it should have been Joseph. His plight was much worse than theirs. They were there on a whim of the Pharaoh and surely would not be there forever. But Joseph had been accused by the chief executioner's wife and didn't know if he'd ever see the light of day. But in spite of his own circumstance, he noticed the plight of these two men.
When your heart is right, even though the bottom may have dropped out of your life, it is remarkable how sensitive you can be to somebody else in need. They don't even have to spell it out. Rather than saying, "You think you've got a lot to complain about, listen to my tale of woe!" Joseph said, "How come you're so sad today, guys? What's wrong?" I admit it may be stating the obvious to ask this in a dungeon, but it shows Joseph's ability to think beyond his own immediate cares and needs in order to minister mercy to others.
One of the beautiful things about the right attitude is that, with it, every day has sunshine. You don't have to have cloudless days for there to be sunshine days.
Actually, it's rather amazing that Joseph would want to have anything to do with dreams. The last time he did that, remember what happened? He told his brothers about his dreams and it was "Operation Pit City." He wound up in an Egyptian slave market. You'd think he would say, "Not me, man! I'm off of dreams forever." But not Joseph. He said, "Oh, really? A dream, huh? Tell me about it."
That's what a positive attitude will do. It gets you beyond common hurdles. It will clear the deck. It will free you from hang-ups. It will show you an opportunity for ministry you never would have touched with a ten-foot pole.
Posted in Devotions
Recent
Archive
2023
January
January 2nd DevotionFollow-up to January 1st teachingJanuary 3rd DevotionJanuary 4th DevotionJanuary 5th DevotionJanuary 6th DevotionJanuary 9th DevotionFollow-up to January 8th teachingJanuary 10th DevotionJanuary 11th DevotionJanuary 12th DevotionJanuary 13th DevotionJanuary 16th DevotionJanuary 17th DevotionFollow-up to January 15th teachingJanuary 18th DevotionJanuary 19th DevotionJanuary 20th DevotionJanuary 23rd DevotionFollow-up to January 22nd teachingJanuary 24th DevotionJanuary 25th DevotionJanuary 26th DevotionJanuary 27th DevotionJanuary 30th DevotionFollow-up to January 29th teachingJanuary 31st Devotion
February
February 1st DevotionFebruary 2nd DevotionFebruary 3rd DevotionFebruary 6th DevotionFebruary 5th follow-upFebruary 7th DevotionFebruary 8th DevotionFebruary 9th DevotionFebruary 10th DevotionFebruary 13th DevotionFebruary 12th follow-upFebruary 14th DevotionFebruary 15th DevotionFebruary 17th DevotionFebruary 16th DevotionFebruary 19th Follow-upFebruary 20th DevotionFebruary 21st DevotionFebruary 22nd DevotionFebruary 23rd DevotionFebruary 24th DevotionFebruary 27th DevotionFebruary 26th Follow-upFebruary 28th Devotion
March
March 1st DevotionMarch 2nd DevotionMarch 3rd DevotionMarch 6th DevotionMarch 5th Follow-upMarch 7th, DevotionMarch 8th DevotionMarch 9th DevotionMarch 10th Devotion3-12-23 Follow-upMarch 13th Devotion3-14-23 DevotionMarch 15th DevotionMarch 16th DevotionMarch 17th DevotionMarch 20th DevotionMarch 19th Follow-upMarch 21st DevotionMarch 22nd DevotionMarch 23rd DevotionMarch 24th DevotionMarch 27th DevotionMarch 28th DevotionMarch 26th Follow-upMarch 29th DevotionMarch 29th DevotionMarch 30th Devotion
April
April 2nd Follow-upApril 3rd DevotionApril 4th DevotionApril 5th DevotionApril 6th DevotionApril 7th DevotionApril 9th Follow-upApril 10th DevotionApril 11th DevotionApril 12th DevotionApril 13th DevotionApril 14th DevotionApril 17th DevotionApril 16th Follow-upApril 18th DevotionApril 19th DevotionApril 20th DevotionApril 21st DevotionApril 24th DevotionApril 23rd follow-upApril 25th DevotionApril 26th Devotion
No Comments