Right now, I am living amid the unknown. I have a potential life-changing situation that can occur at any moment for my family. When I was notified of this matter, which is completely out of my hands, fear gripped me. Fear for my family. Fear of not knowing when, what, and where. Fear brought sleepless nights as I imagined how things would play out. I was scared, and I wanted God to intervene to stop the plans from becoming a reality.

But God sent me a reminder through the life of Joseph; that what we see as harmful and detrimental can also be the very thing God uses to bring about good (Genesis 50:20). Our scripture verse of Romans 8:28 summarizes what Joseph was saying to his brothers. Both verses encourage us to see the hand of God in all circumstances, including the hard, painful, and uncomfortable places He allows us to be. Places He can use not only for our good but also for the good of others.

Fear can be replaced with faith. Faith in the One who has the power to transform the scary unknown to an unknown opportunity to shape us into warriors He needs us to be in this world. Joseph was treated unfairly and I’m sure fear gripped him many times during his season of imprisonment. But fear was replaced with faith while in the dungeon as he trusted God with the process for years. The result was a man after God’s own heart who was positioned exactly where he needed to be to help his family. The lesson in all of this: beware of allowing the fear of the unknown keep us from the good God wants to bring about in our lives. What is frightening today may be the beginning of discovering who God has made us to be for tomorrow.