The 50/20 Rule

Many of us are familiar with the story in Genesis about a man named Joseph and his not-so-great brothers. If you haven’t read this story, I encourage you to check it out in Genesis 37-50. In short, Joseph was the favorite of many sons, and as a result his brothers grew jealous. To add fire to the flame, Joseph shares two prophetic dreams with his brothers that allude to his future reign over them.  His brothers, not surprisingly, did not appreciate hearing of these dreams. Therefore, they sold their brother into slavery and put his life on the line for the sake of revenge.

Despite all of this, Joseph’s prophetic dreams come true and, in the end, his brothers needed him to ensure their personal survival. This is where the 50/20 rule comes in. After all is said and done, Joseph makes a powerful statement that can apply to us today.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20

I love this verse because it gives me hope. We all go through rough times when it seems like God is nowhere to be found, but in reality He is right there waiting to do a work amidst the struggle. On Sunday, Pastor John Opalewski identified the 50/20 Rule with the statement, “God can transform our pain into something life-giving and good if we cooperate with Him.” This is so true! Joseph is the perfect example of this. Although he faced rejection from his brothers, hardships, and pain, God used Him to lead many people and save many lives. Joseph was willing, and God was able to bring beauty to his struggle.

In addition, Pastor John Opalewski provided us with four action step that will bring hope and purpose to our pain.

4 ACTION STEPS:

1.       Understand God is with us when our circumstances suggest otherwise. (Romans 8:38-39)

2.       Maintain integrity when it would be easy not to.

3.       Believe our steps are ordered by God. (Genesis 45:8)

4.       Forgive those who hurt us. (Hebrews 12:15)

If we make the choice to incorporate these action steps into our pain, God will turn what seems like a hopeless situation into something meaningful and good. I challenge you, as Pastor John did, to let God do a 50/20 on your greatest pain.

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Edited by: Jenelle Kelly