Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words | Jacob was dealing with a disaster. In the middle of a famine, his sons had just returned from Egypt with bad news. If he wanted to buy food from Egypt, Jacob would have to allow his favorite son, Benjamin, to go to Egypt as required by the Pharaoh’s second in command, who controlled all food sales. Jacob had already lost his son Joseph, whom he believed to have been killed by wild animals. The truth is that his brothers hated him and had sold him into slavery. None of them knew Joseph had become second in command in Egypt—next to the Pharaoh.

When the brothers went to Egypt to buy food in the famine, Joseph, whom they did not recognize, had required them to leave another brother, Simeon, in Egypt as a hostage while they went to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, back with them. Jacob told his sons, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me” (Genesis 42:36 NKJV).

Little did he know that he was about to get back not only Benjamin and Simeon but Joseph as well. He was about to learn the truth of that New Testament verse, Romans 8:28 (NKJV): “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” When the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph revealed who he truly was—their brother whose life God had saved.

Which is true for you today—“All things are against me” or “All things work together for good”? Everything seems to be against you; you see little hope for the future. But don’t let yourself live under that cloud. God will work all things together for your good as you resolutely trust him in the disaster you are facing.