Playing Family Mind Games?

Perhaps you’re nursing a hurt or grudge against someone in your family, or maybe a close friend said some harsh words that still sting. You’ve been wounded, been treated unfairly, your ego was miffed, and your heart injured.

And now you have a choice. You can confront the offending party, hear what they have to say, and attempt reconciliation. Or you can let the hurt metathesize. You can fantasize about how you’ll get retribution, about how you can be made whole and get what you want. In short, you can play mind games.

This Sunday, we’re continuing our reflection on what God has to say to us in the Biblical story of Joseph. The Old Testament records that Joseph, one of the patriarchs of ancient Israel, came from a family that was so messed-up his brothers sold Joseph into Egyptian slavery.

But God didn’t give up on this messed-up family. He chose to work quietly, largely behind the scenes, to restore relationships and provide for Joseph’s family during a severe economic recession. Everything that happened, happened for a reason, and God’s intervention eventually brought reconciliation, redeeming their lives and their family ties.

God is doing this kind of quiet work in our lives all the time; it’s just hard to detect. So, if you’re going through a hard time, take heart. God is patiently working to (re)build relationships with Himself and your family. You can count on it.

This Sunday at Trinity Downtown, come find a God whose steadfast love helps us to weather the emotional ups and downs that come our way. Come consciously place your trust in the God that pursues each of us, even if we didn’t care about a relationship with him. Come hear about Jesus, who suffered, died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sins and open the way for the Holy Spirit to continually whisper to your heart “You know, I really DO love you so deeply that you can’t fully comprehend it.”