RUNNING AWAY

Do you see no real way out of your situation, and you can't possibly take one more day of the insanity and abuse? You want out, and running away seems like your only option. Besides, no one will really miss you, right? I know these thoughts all too well, because I once thought them for myself.

The pain and heart ache has become too much, and you are desperate for an escape. Suicide has crossed your mind, but you still have the hope that there might just be a life for you somewhere else. So, running away seems like your only option.

When I was living with my biological alcoholic parents, suffering from an unstable home life, facing regular abuse and manipulation. I struggled with these very thoughts. I just wanted a chance at life! Was that too much to ask? Why couldn't I just have a normal childhood?

At the age of fourteen I began to plot my escape. I was going to leave my home state of Indiana, and run off to a friend in California. I wanted to get as far away from my abusive family as possible. The glorious idea of hitch hiking across the country seemed like the perfect plan. I envisioned myself bouncing from one truck stop to the next. I was prepared to take extreme measures, because I had had enough!

I was sick of the police showing up at my home every weekend for domestic abuse, and doing nothing to help me and my brother. You would think that two grown people flinging one another down stairs and chasing one another with butcher knives might be a red flag to police that these children were not in capable hands?

While I was plotting my escape God brought yet another Sunday morning sermon into my life that gave me some perspective. The Bible story was about a man named Joseph. Joseph was the favorite son of his father, Jacob, and he was greatly resented by his brothers for it. Jacob loved Joseph so much that he had a special robe made for him. Which made his brothers extremely jealous. Joseph then began to have strange dreams and communicating them to his family.

One day Joseph had a dream, and he went to go tell his brothers. He said, "Guess what? Last night I had a strange dream. We were tying up bunches of grain out in the field when suddenly my bunch stood up, while all of yours gathered around and bowed to me." The brothers looked at each other in disgust, but Joseph continued. "Then I had another dream that the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to me."

Long story short, Joseph really ticked off his brothers by telling them this. Following that day Jacob asked Joseph to go out and check on his brothers. As a result of following his father's instructions, he was stripped of his robe and thrown in a well by his brothers, then sold into slavery to some Egyptians. The brothers later told the father that Joseph had died.

While in Egypt, Joseph was a slave for Potiphar in his palace. He was favored by Potiphar, until one day when Potiphar's wife falsely accused him of trying to rape her. He was then placed in prison. Talk about going from one bad situation to the next!

After Joseph had been in jail for some time a cupbearer and baker to Pharaoh had been sent there. One night each of them had a dream. They told their dreams to Joseph and he told the cupbearer that he would soon be let out of jail. "Please tell Pharaoh about me, and ask him to get me out of here." Joseph said.

Pharaoh believed all that Joseph told him, and put him in charge of all the land of Egypt.

When the cupbearer was freed he forgot about what Joseph did. So Joseph stayed in jail for two more years. Until one day the Pharaoh had a dream, and nobody could explain it to him. The cupbearer then remembered what Joseph had done for him, and Joseph was brought to Pharaoh.

"Can you understand dreams?" Pharaoh asked. "I can't, but God helps me." Joseph replied. After Pharaoh had told him his dream Joseph explained, "God is warning you. There will be seven years when nothing will grow and there won't be any food for anyone."

"What can I do?" Pharaoh asked. "God has shown you what to do. There will be seven years before the bad years that will be very good. So good that there will be extra food for everyone. So you should save a little bit of each years harvest, that way you will have enough to get you through the bad years." Joseph said.

People came from all countries to buy grain from Joseph, because the whole world was in need of food. Some of those people were Joseph's brothers. When his brothers came, Joseph recognized them, but they did not know who he was. (It had been over 10 years since they had seen him).

The brothers all bowed to him because he was an important person. Just as he dreamed they would at the beginning.

After a few meetings with his brothers he could not keep it in any longer and Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father alive?" But his brothers couldn't answer him because they were afraid. Then Joseph said, "Come here. I am your brother, the one you sold! Do not worry, and do not be angry at yourselves for selling me, because God has put me here to save people from starving."

So his father, his brothers, and their families came to live in Egypt with Joseph, and they had all the food they needed.

Okay, so a really crazy story, huh? This story revealed to me that Sunday that God is going to put us in what may seem some impossible situations. Situations that we did not bring on ourselves, and situations that we are going to want to escape from. But God has a great plan that He doesn't always let us in on. Sometimes we won't be able to fully understand or grasp it until it is all over with.

Ultimately, because of this story, I stuck it out in my situation and didn't run off to California. I trusted God and I faced my trials with Him. There was a whole bunch of trials and struggles that followed my decision, but I knew that I was in God's will. God has a plan for you, and He has not forgotten or abandoned you!

Here is my advice to you. Share your situation or struggles with a trusted guidance councilor, teacher or youth worker. Find someone that you can talk with about your situation. It will be scary at first, but trust that God will be there with you through it. Pray that God will give you encouragement and strength to face your trials. You matter to God and He wants you to include Him in your life.

Heavenly Father, I praise you for how great and powerful you are. I thank you for loving us enough to make such a sacrifice of sending your only son to die on a cross for our sins. I pray for those right now that face what seems like an impossible situation. For those that desire a different life and feel lost. Wrap your loving arms around them and help them to find a safe person to reach out to. Give them hope and the ability to trust that you have a great plans for their life. Just like you did for Joseph and for me. Please surround those reading this right now that are thinking about running away with a peace that you will be with them every step of the way. We love you, Lord. Amen.

To read the full Bible version of Joseph you can read it in Genesis 37-46.

God Bless