Have you ever found yourself in a moment where you realized you had no idea what was going on? Life was sailing along as normal and then suddenly something happened: bad news from a doctor, relationship changes, unexpected bad grades, the loss of a steady job. You didn’t see it coming and you can’t make sense of God’s providence. But in those moments, what if rather than being anxious and fearful you could be calm and confident in God’s work for your good? In Genesis 42, Joseph’s brothers come to him in Egypt for food during the famine, and we see that, though God’s providence seems confusing, his purposes are good. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this chapter, showing us that God is at work for good, we are in a season of trial, Christ endured that we might come through, and what matters now for us is our response.

Part of a series on the book of Genesis.

From Sunday Worship, October 12, 2025.

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Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:

What parts of this story grabbed your attention most—either something Joseph did or how his brothers reacted——and why do you think that stood out to you?

How would it affect your current situation if you really believed God is weaving all things for good—even the ones that don’t make sense right now?

When trials press in, what do you tend to reach for——control, escape, blame, despair? What would it look like to name that honestly and bring it to Jesus?

Jesus stood the ultimate test so you could be found faithful in him. How does knowing that he passed the test for you change the way you face your own tests today?

What is one small, grace-fueled step you can take this week to respond to trial not with self-protection or self-pity, but with trust and openness to God's refining work?

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All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.