Dealing With Difficult Decisions

He didn't ask to be put in this position; those who are rarely if ever do.

Joseph was forced to change jobs. He descended from top herder to house maid. That's when the problems began. His boss's wife had eyes for him and repeatedly pressured him to have an affair with her. The thought crossed his mind. Who would know if the mice played while the boss was away? And giving in might just get him a promotion.

Integrity kept Joseph's head turned the other way until she caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" (Genesis 39:12) Integrity had to act, so he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

Joseph teaches us something about making tough decisions. Look for God's stop signs. Stop signs have purpose. Either accidents have occurred where they're placed, or the intersection is heavily congested and there's an increased risk of collision.

When God's children are heading for a wreck, he erects stop signs. He doesn't craft them to cause us grief but to save us heartache. If we're perceptive and walking in the Spirit, we'll notice the stop signs, and they'll keep us from making harmful decisions.

Joseph's example also instructs us to make our decisions based on God's principles. When the boss's wife approached him with the invitation, he told her accepting would mean sinning against his employer and God. Joseph knew sin when he saw it because he was familiar with God's requirements. Familiarizing ourselves with God's principles makes it easier to handle tough decisions.

When tough decisions come your way, look for God's stop signs and reflect on his Word.

Prayer: Thank You Lord Jesus for the stop signs that keep us from wrecking our lives.

Martin Wiles
Hodges, South Carolina, USA