Colossians 3:12-13(NLT)
“12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”
Emotional, psychological, and physical pain can be attributed to early childhood issues. It’s common knowledge that women are more apt to face this head on than men. Heavenly Father has assigned men the roles of provider, protector, and producer. Men are expected to be breadwinners and to provide for their families. They are also expected to be strong and courageous under pressure, and to protect their families at all costs. If the man displays vulnerability, society doesn’t consider him strong and capable. On the other hand, he is expected to be sensitive, caring, and sympathetic to a woman’s needs. This is a balancing act, and it requires a finesse that isn’t necessarily innate, but if he is willing, it can and should be learned.
The complexities of life in our modern age of more technology and less human interaction affects us all, but God tells us both in Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:12 to be tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving to one another. No matter the time or the age, we can never overlook or allow God’s expectation that is expressed in these verses to slip to the sidelines. He commands us to renew our minds to His truth, and this is going to require that we are always checking in with His standard and measuring ourselves against it. When we find that we’re not hitting the mark, we must ask God to correct us, because if we don’t, we’re going to be stuck in neutral.
Being stuck in neutral means that we’re at point B when in fact our destinies in Christ dictate that we should be at point G. This causes us to miss out on the blessings we could have had. Some of the issues and childhood trauma that many men have endured can cause them to be stuck, and women don’t always have the spiritual insight or wisdom to discern this, and neither does the man. Also, some of us don’t consider the reality that many men have been raised by single mothers, and the balance they might have learned from seeing their fathers be husbands was never witnessed.
We come into this world with sin in our bodies, and as we mature and develop, bad programming from world systems seep in. We believe things that aren’t true, we accept realities that are rooted in darkness, and we are far too arrogant when it comes to our need to be right. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the things going on in our heads and hearts that keep us stuck. We must be cognizant that childhood trauma as well as other issues that stem from our younger years can cause us to lose momentum and stamina in life, there is no doubt about this. Our time on the earth is limited, and none of us will address all our issues, but to the extent these things keep us from specifically carrying out God’s assignments, we must address them.
Hebrews 12:1(NLT) gives us the strategy for being the men and women that God has called us to be. In this verse, He commands us to, “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Stripping off the heavies that weigh us down maybe more challenging for men. The culture is such that there are more single women than there are single men, and many single women are willing to make a man comfortable in the attributes and sin that hold him back. Both men and women have a responsibility to strip off the things that keep them from fulfilling God’s purpose, but in a family unit, the brunt of this responsibility rest upon the man. Only a man can institute a legacy, because the seed comes from him. Pertaining to the role that God has assigned to men, they must be sure to put an end to generational issues that are detrimental to a legacy if passed down.
In the Bible, Joseph was able to save his family and countless other individuals from starvation and death because he was obedient to God. He was greatly loved by his biological father, Jacob, but his ten older brothers hated him, and even tried to murder him. They didn’t make his childhood rosy and full of smiles, and eventually they concocted a dastardly plan and sold him to some traders for twenty pieces of silver. They lied to their father and said a wild animal had eaten their younger brother, Joseph. He endured a lot and could have allowed his life to be shaped and molded by bitterness against his brothers, but Joseph’s love for God outweighed his anger and sadness about the pain his brothers had caused him. As he matured into a man, Joseph allowed himself to be fathered by God. He relied on Heavenly Father and was obedient to live by God’s Word.
Joseph pursued God’s purpose, and because of this, he was covered by God’s favor. Genesis 39:2(NLT) tells us, “The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.” Joseph was very handsome, and even while in his Egyptian employer’s home, the man’s wife tried to get Joseph to commit adultery with her, but he refused. Pleasing God was in his heart, and he would not jeopardize the plan God had for his life.
In our culture today, it’s common for a man to think he can indulge any temptation he chooses and ignore his commitment to God and the issues of his soul, but the price for doing this is exceedingly high. Nothing in this world compares to God’s favor, and nothing is worth forfeiting it. Joseph’s family dynamic is an archetype of the dysfunction that exists in many of our families. Although our personal situations may not be as extreme, the pain of being mistreated, abused, rejected, or abandoned can bring us to our knees and cause us to live beneath our privilege.
Joseph was elevated by God to a position of power and authority as he overcame many hardships, including imprisonment. He placed his faith in Heavenly Father and leaned on Him totally because Joseph knew God is the Source of all healing, love, and power. Joseph was not immune to the dangers of sin, and he was not perfect, but he humbled himself before God and proved himself to be teachable and flexible to God’s Will. This is the mindset all men must have to please God.
Joseph had nothing like the biblical resources we have today, but we can witness the hand of God on his life and how our Creator fathered him to be a great leader and a man whose heart was full of love and forgiveness, and not bitterness or anger. Genesis 50:19-21(NLT) reveals the conversation Joseph had with his brothers when he saw them again many years later. It tells us, “19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” Joseph understood his purpose in the Will of God, and to live fully, all men must seek God relentlessly to do the same. Jesus Christ is Lord! He’s the head, and we must all bring ourselves under the leadership of Christ to be healed, elevated, and drenched in God’s favor. ■
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“A Man Drenched in God’s Favor”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.