For God

has made me forget

     all my hardship...

For God

has made me fruitful

in the land of my affliction.

            Genesis 41. 51-52

(It is not that God will redeem.

    God is already redeeming

    even the hard stuff.

"Trust Me in this."

And do all our work

        with excellence.

No detail is too small

   that God overlooks

   or cannot use powerfully.

Even when we cannot see

          the faintest results

because God never works

       in singular outcomes.

Joseph worked as a slave

          and in jail.

But he viewed

   hardship of all kinds

as opportunities

          to serve God.

How we view God

  changes how we see,

approach and navigate

           circumstances.)

O LORD,

We cannot foresee

what is ahead of us today.

But we can trust You

   as we walk with You,

even in trouble,

even in the really hard stuff.

Grant to us today

   Your strength and joy

   seamlessly woven.

Help us to keep our eyes on You

     to respond to circumstances

     and not to be afraid

                  of hard work.

May we serve You with gladness,

       even in this.