Genesis 50:20 “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.”
The story of Joseph is a story of a dream, a dreamer and the disappointments and disastrous journey to fulfillment. Joseph’s original dream was one where he was exalted above his brethren and even his father. Instead, Joseph finds himself beaten by his brother’s, bought by Potiphar, and banished to prison. WOW. What a sequence for one with such a lofty dream. Exalted to Extinguished. His dream was dead.
Have you ever been there? Ever had a vision die. When a vision dies, when the thing you’ve wanted for so long is gone, there is a real sense of loss, disappointment, sadness, and heartache. It’s painful when you have a vision of a certain life, a certain desire, or a certain possession that will never be realized.
And that pain is magnified when the vision involves a relationship. Visions of happiness with a spouse that gets sick, love of a parent that has passed, the unrealized blessing of children, the wasted potential of a teenager are all visions that pass prematurely.
What can you do? It’s not like you can just plug in any vision in place of the old one. You don’t just substitute visions. However,what you can do is learn how to see when vision dies by grieving, growing, and grabbing.
1. Grieve
In Genesis 43, and 3 times in 45, Joseph weeps. Grieving over his Father, his brothers, his seemingly dead vision. Grieving is good. It’s okay to feel bad, or even terrible, about your loss. It’s okay to let yourself patiently experience a full range of your emotions as they relate to your vision. Give yourself some time to work through the stages of your grief. Be careful and don’t let self pity replace your vision. The sooner you are in a place to accept what God has for you, the sooner you’re ready to embrace a new vision. God is not finished with you. Take time to grieve and then get up and get back to living with vision.
2. Grow
Joseph said, “God meant it for good”. He learned that God was in control and God had his best interests in mind. This lesson however, didn’t come cheap. When a vision dies, the question is not whether you and I will experience loss and pain. The question you need to ask yourself is: “What will I do with the pain?”. Pain can be used for good. It forces us to pause and ponder what’s really important. God allows pain into our life for one of two reasons…
His Glory
Our Edification
So, after you’ve gone through the grieving process, which may take months, take some time to reflect upon and ponder what you’ve experienced. What things you need to change in your life or in yourself? Use this time to grow. Prepare yourself to cultivate vision again. God has great things in store for you. Reevaluate yourself and grow into the vision He has for you.
3. Grab
Your vision was a part of you. Now that it’s gone, chasing another vision might feel a bit like cheating. But, if you spend all your time focusing on what you’ve lost, you’ll never see what you can have. The last step to healing is to allow your heart and mind to grab a new vision for your life. Embrace the challenges and grow in ways that are different from the old vision.
Joseph didn’t quit. He didn’t dwell on his past problems in the Pit, Potifar’s house and the Prison… He focused on His vision being accomplished in the Palace. He trusted God and kept dreaming. The death of a vision doesn’t have to be the end of your life. It could be the beginning of an even better vision, knowing that God’s plans are better than anything we can dream of. Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.”
William Davis | Youth Pastor
Clays Mill Baptist Church | Lexington, KY
