Dancing In A Foreign Country: Learning About Yusuf's Resilience

Abstract

Man is not immune to suffering, but that does not mean being broken by suffering. In resilience theory, humans have the capacity to respond to suffering. This ability is called resilience. Resilience in turn is the interaction of self-capacity with environmental conditions in the context of suffering. Unfortunately, the faithful rarely see resilience as a human way of enduring suffering. People often use Bible characters as supernatural examples of suffering. In other words, these characters gain divine power, but it is also their involvement in responding to suffering. This study aims to show Joseph's resilience in a foreign land and how that resilience affected Joseph's life. This study analyzed Genesis 37-50 with resilience theory. The reading shows that Joseph involved an innate capacity for resilience, past responses to pressure and adversity, adaptation, and trust in the Lord. These dimensions intertwine and build Joseph's dynamic resilience in suffering from the moment he was sold by his brothers. Joseph's ability to survive did not come down from heaven, but was embedded and grew in his interactions with various factors external to himself.