Many fabrics today are made of several materials: polycotton is made combining strands of cotton and polyester, for example, a combinatin which makes an extremely versatile fabric, since cotton is noted for its softness and moisture absorption, whilst polyester is renowned for not creasing (less ironing, hooray!)
We often wish life were smooth and without suffering, 100% blessing, finding it difficult to cope with the vicissitudes of life. CIrcumstances, people, illness and loss all have a tendency to make us question God’s goodness and doubt His love.
The truth is that we live in a world tainted by sin, and pure, unadulterated joy and blessing will never be our lasting experience in this life. Lilfe is a mixture of battle and blessing, of suffering and victory, of sorrow and joy. Joseph recognised this. He saw many difficulties from a young age, experiencing ridicule, rejection, oppression and injustice, spending years as a slave and being wrongly imprisoned before rising to prosperity and power as Pharaoh’s right-hand man. The names he gave his children reflect the interweaving of sorrow and blessing: Manasseh (‘God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household’) and Ephraim (‘God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.’) (Gen 41:51-52)
Paul tells us that ‘God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.’ (2 Cor 9:8) Or, in the Message version, ‘God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.’ This was Joseph’s experience. Even in a land of suffering, he saw fruitfulness and blessing. The threads of suffering and joy were woven together to make a resilient character which was ready to step up to what God had planned for his life.
Don’t despise fabrics made from different mateirals. They have resilience and versatility – and so can we as we allow suffering to refine us and purify us.