First, Joseph assumes that behind everything that happened was the goodness and love of God.

Perhaps the most influential school of Greek philosophy was that of the

This is important to consider, because we all know that suffering does not only refine, it can also harden and consume.

The second thing Paul tells us is that this peace is not merely an absence—it is a presence. It is not just an absence of fear. It is a sense of being protected. That does not come out as well in the English translation. It says in verse 7, “the peace of God . . . will guard your hearts and your minds.” The Greek word translated as “guard” means to

And indeed, it could be argued that Joseph’s salvation, while less supernatural and dramatic, was greater in depth and breadth and effect.

Only through weakness and pain did God save us and show us, in the deepest way possible, the infinite depths of his grace and love for us.

But we must remember that in the Bible, the “heart” is not identical to emotions. The heart is understood as the place of your deepest commitments, trusts, and hopes. From those commitments flow our emotions, thoughts, and actions. To “rejoice” in God means to dwell on and remind ourselves of who God is, who we are, and what he has done for us.

The stakes are high here. Suffering will either leave you a much better person or a much worse one than you were before.

It means Jesus Christ the servant is attracted to hopeless cases. He cares for the fragile. He loves people who are beaten and battered and bruised. They may not show it on the outside, but inside they are dying. Jesus sees all the way into the heart and he knows what to do. The Lord binds up the brokenhearted and heals our wounds (Ps 147:3; Isa