Displaced With a Purpose
- Heidi Eva Jones
- Mar 31, 2025
- 6 min read
Volume 14 Issue 3
Greeting in His Name,
We are done with the first quarter of the year. And I don't know about you but there have been some mind-wondering things going on. But as you get into the blog you may feel as I feel, 'I may be a bit displaced, but I know there is purpose. So, with that being said, today's blog is entitled Displaced With A Purpose. I hope you find some inspiration, conviction, and queries.
shalom and love,
heidi
"During the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee their homes. One night, as they stayed in a small village inn, homeless and afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. To comfort her, Gerhardt reminded her of scripture promises about God's provision and keeping. Then, going out to the garden to be alone, he, too, broke down and wept. He felt he had come to his darkest hour."
"Soon afterward, Gerhardt felt the burden lifted and sensed anew the Lord's presence. Taking his pen, he wrote a hymn that has brought comfort to many. "Give to the winds thy fears; hope, and be undismayed; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head. Through waves and clouds and storms, He gently clears the way. Wait thou His time, so shall the night soon end in joyous day." Gerhardt was displaced with a purpose. (Pastor Learns to Trust God When Displaced by War)"
Even though life throws curve balls, hard times, and difficult days, it shifts us from our easy-breezy place. I believe if we would only look to a verse like Romans 8:28, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose, we would find some solace there.
Please read background text: Genesis 45:4 – 5, 7 – 8a
"Displacement is more than just a physical act. It is a spiritual journey, a test of faith. It is a verb, an action that describes a profound shift in our lives. To be displaced could mean to be replaced, to supplant, to oust, to supersede, to dislodge, to dislocate, to move, to shift, to relocate, to reposition, to put out of place. The dictionary went as far as to say to force (someone) to leave their home because of persecution. But in the spiritual sense, displacement is a call to a higher purpose, a divine plan orchestrated by God."
Joseph, the biblical character of the day, was displaced with a purpose. Often, one is displaced because of an adverse situation. Today's passage is where we find Joseph.
Look at Genesis 50:19: And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? [Joseph recognized who he was.] Recognize who you are. Joseph made it quite clear to his brothers: "I am not God; I have no right to punish you." (ERV) Amazingly, well over 40 years have passed, and his brothers are still afraid that Joseph would use his authority to abuse them. Remember, in Genesis 45:4 – 5, Joseph says, "I am your brother Joseph. He did not say I'm your ruler, but I am your brother, and he goes on to say I am the one you sold as a slave to Egypt. Now, don't be worried. Don't be angry with yourselves for what you did. It was God's plan for me to come here. I am here to save people's lives. Now, if Joseph had not recognized that he was displaced with a purpose if he had not recognized who he was, Joseph would have taken revenge. He would have kept them in prison, but because he knew in the end that God was orchestrating a pathway by which God could increase his people, which is what Joseph's name means: to add or increase, he recognized his displacement was with a purpose. So, if you are facing some hardship or an uncomfortable place in life right now, change your perspective, ask God what the plan is, and ask him what your God-given purpose is in that place.
Once [Joseph recognized who he was], and I say to you, once you recognize who you are, then you must, as Joseph, recognize your need to forgive. Genesis 50:20a, But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good. Joseph was saying, "You planned to do something bad to me. But really, God was planning good things." Your enemy may not be any particular person or individual, but we all have one enemy in common: the Devil. The scripture says in 1 Peter 5:8, Be sober {clear-headed}, be vigilant {watchful}; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. The Devil's job is to displace you by any means necessary. It is his job to keep you depressed, suppressed, and disillusioned so that you will not fulfill the purposes of God. But know this: the purposes and plans of God will ultimately prevail. So, instead of being angry, be apathetic; instead of bitter, be better; instead of resentful, be resilient! Instead of holding un-forgiveness – FORGIVE! This may even mean forgiving yourself. Remember, you may be displaced with a purpose.
And lastly, Joseph recognized why God sent him. You, too, must recognize why God sent you. Genesis 50:20b – 21, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now, therefore, fear ye not: I will nourish you and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. It shows that Joseph's brothers underestimated Joseph's character. ***When you forgive, you stir the displacer's (adversary's) conscience. *** But Joseph recognized why God sent him. And because he recognized that, he could reassure his brothers that it was not their fault but God's plan to save his people. FLASHBACK! Joseph's brothers recalled those dreams back in Genesis 37 when he was just a ruddy young man of 17 years old. Those dreams of them serving and bowing to him. Those dreams foreshadowed his displacement. It was his displacement that brought him to his purpose. God made Joseph the governor of Egypt. Why? To save his people.
Joseph may have been deposed · dislodged · removed · dismissed · ejected · expelled · forced out · thrown out · but it was with a purpose. Suppose we travel through the annals of biblical history. As we do, we will see that Abraham was displaced from his family, Ruth was displaced from Moab, Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were displaced from Jerusalem, Paul was displaced from Saul, and Jesus was displaced from Heaven to save you.
Bishop T.D. Jakes, the founder and lead pastor of the Potter's House, was displaced with a purpose. He gives the testimony of moving to Dallas because of racial discrimination in North Carolina. One writer of a local newspaper spurred on this harassment. Not only was he harassed, but his mother and sons were also harassed. But He says this to the Potters House, "It was good that I was afflicted because if I had not been afflicted, I would not have met you." T.D. Jakes went on to say that if he could meet that writer, he would take her out for steak dinner… because her actions caused him to take that move which birth The Potters House – won't he do it! Some of us will not be hooked up with our destiny until we are displaced. It will be in our displacement that we will find our purpose.
Therefore, our takeaway is this: When displaced, recognize who you are, recognize your need to forgive and even repent, and recognize why God sent you; there is a purpose.
So, I pray this "Prayer for Protection" over you: The light of God surrounds you, the love of God enfolds you, the power of God protects you, and the presence of God watches over you. Wherever you are, God is [too]!
LIFE QUOTE
“We have a legal and moral obligation to protect people fleeing bombs, bullets and tyrants, and throughout history those people have enriched our society.”
—Juliet Stevenson
Let Us Laugh!
An elderly woman had just returned home from an evening church service when she realized there was an intruder in her home. Seeing that he was in the act of robbing her home of its valuables, the lady yelled “Stop! Acts 2:38!”
Hearing her, the burglar stopped dead in his tracks and stood motionless. The woman calmly called the police and explained what was going on.
As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, “Why did you just stand there? All the lady did was yell a Bible verse at you.”
“Bible verse?” said the burglar, “She said she had an ax and two 38’s!”
Hope to see you Next Month....
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