What Faith Remembers

In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.”
Genesis 41:8-9 (NIV)

There is a parallel between faith and patience. Two years earlier, Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him in his freedom. The cupbearer, two years later, repents of having not remembered Joseph. And in between Joseph asking to be remembered and the cupbearer repenting of not having remembered Joseph, Pharaoh has a dream. That dream is going to teach Joseph that while he may have been delayed, he is never forgotten by God.

What could not be rushed is the natural progression that is going to lead to the seven years of unusual plenty followed by the seven years of excruciatingly damaging famine. But it takes two years to unfold, and while waiting, Joseph has to steward his belief in the person, the power, and the promises of his God. The only offering Joseph can give to God, beautifully wrapped in faith, is patience.

Waiting is a part of patience and, whether we like it or not, our faith requires patience. But patience is not just about waiting. If you were to study the word patience in the original Hebrew, it is transliterated not as waiting but as bearing and tolerating.

Patience is an offering you give to God that disciplines your spirituality to tolerate the waiting. Here’s the key: it’s not just the capacity to handle the load. It’s not just the capacity to tolerate the season. It’s the willingness to do it. 

You have to love God enough, trust Him enough, believe in Him enough, want to honor Him enough that you’re willing to bear the load and wait on Him because you trust that however He is working, He is working for His will and your good.

You have to decide:

• I’m not going to stop trusting that God will remember me.
• I will not settle for comfortable at the risk of providential.
• I won’t cut short my process.
• I’m not going to accept temporary relief that will then ensure long-term pain.

Instead, I’m willing to bear this load and tolerate this season because I trust God to be unfolding His will for my life according to His sovereign plan for me. And I’m not just bearing this because I have to. I’m bearing this because I want to.

Why? Because you mean that much to God. You mean so much to Him that He gave His Son for your redemption. That’s how much you mean to Him! You have to bear this load, tolerate this season, and handle this weight while you wait—not just because of how much you mean to Him, but because of how much He means to you.