Disappointment, hurt, and hardship visit us all. No one knew this better than Joseph. He lost his mother at a young age and then was betrayed by his brother, sold into slavery in Egypt, falsely accused of sexual impropriety, and wrongly imprisoned. His life was filled with low points, and yet he emerged as a sterling example of faithfulness and ultimate triumph.
The Point of Low Points examines God’s purpose behind the low points Joseph faced and how they shaped Joseph into the man God intended him to be. You’ll find encouragement in this book as Ken Gurley shares timeless principles from the experiences of Joseph and presents direction for not only surviving setback, but letting it mold you into a thriving Christian.
If you find yourself with a case of valley fever, first inoculate yourself against further damage by giving thanks. It is always the will of God to give thanks: both the high and the low points work together for good in our lives (Romans 8:28).
The Point of Low Points Excerpt: The Land of Hills and Valleys
We humans like the fast-forward button. We like to skip over the tedious journey and arrive at the destination. More than once have we said, “Give me the highlights,” meaning to omit the difficult details and share only the satisfying conclusions. We like to skip the mundane and arrive at the end of the book with all the issues clearly resolved. True life, however, isn’t like that. The nitty-gritty must be lived and walked through.
It’s easy to speak of the boy wonder known as Joseph—the favored child with a coat of many colors. He’s the one who dreamed big dreams and lived to see his dreams come true. In our minds, we hasten to the moment in Joseph’s story where Pharaoh sets him up as prime minister over the then most powerful nation of the world. The stuff in between, however, is what led Joseph to this place. His disappointments, losses, and betrayals brought him to the place where he could emotionally, mentally, and spiritually grasp the amazing grace of our God. To omit the difficult moments in his life is to minimize the power of God and to gloss over what Joseph can teach us today.
Highlights require lowlights; high points compel low points. Just before Moses died, he shared with Israel a description of the land God had promised to them. He called it a “land of hills and valleys” (Deuteronomy 11:11). Any visitor to Israel can attest to this description. We may even say that Moses was guilty of understatement. It’s a land of dramatic changes in landscapes with high bluffs and deep gorges.
Many have viewed the Promised Land as a type of the world to come; yet it is less a picture of Heaven than it is a picture of the overcoming life. There were high points or blessings to be had. God promised the land would possess a sevenfold blessing of produce: wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey (Deuteronomy 8:8). Egypt, the land of bondage, is credited with only six foods, six being the number of man: fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic (Numbers 11:5). There were seven feasts to be celebrated throughout the year in the Promised Land (Leviticus 23). The Promised Land was blessed!
But, it was also a land of valleys. The low points of adversity and struggle can be seen early. Jericho’s walls had to fall (Joshua 6), a confederacy of five kings had to be subdued (Joshua 10), and the smorgasbord of thirty-one additional kings had to be consumed (Joshua 12). The battles did not stop there; the struggles continued.
God promised Israel the land, but possessing the promises took great struggle. It would be, “by little and little,” the enemy would be driven from the land (Exodus 23:30). Sometimes the low points show we are passing through the portals into the land of fulfilled promises. God promised to take the Valley of Achor or Trouble and transform it into the doorway of hope (Hosea 2:15). Trouble is often the harbinger of a new day.
One Strategy for Low Points: Give Thanks
If you find yourself with a case of valley fever, first inoculate yourself against further damage by giving thanks. It is always the will of God to give thanks: both the high and the low points work together for good in our lives (Romans 8:28).
Resources and Links
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For small groups, watch The Point of Low Points on Discipleship Now (Apostolic streaming).