A Catch-up on Joseph...

I left off in my progress through Genesis at the end of chapter 37 with Joseph being sold off to gypsies by his jealous brothers.

At this point, Joseph’s situation is dreadful. He has been brutally betrayed by his own flesh and blood. He has been transported through the desert by strangers. Then he’s been sold into the service of one of Pharaoh’s officials in Egypt.

In the beginning of chapter 39 we see Joseph catch a bit of a break! But unfortunately his good luck doesn’t last long. He has been placed in charge of his master’s home and all that he owns, but his master’s wife has a bit of a wandering eye and when the master leaves, she throws herself on Joseph. After several refusals on his part, she acts the victim and blames Joseph of trying to take advantage of her.

As is expected, Joseph is deposited in jail as soon as his master hears this story. That is where he is to remain for the next several years.

BUT to think that God was not watching out for him during this time would be foolish! God put Joseph exactly where He needed him to be in order to bring great things to Joseph.

God gave Joseph the wisdom to interpret first the dreams of 2 of Pharaoh’s men in the jail with him and then the opportunity to interpret a dream for the Pharaoh himself. Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream discovered there were going to be 7 years of plenty coming, followed by 7 years of severe famine. With this knowledge the Pharaoh could save during the plenty and have food for his people during the famine.

Pharaoh was so grateful for Joseph and his apparent blessing from God that he made Joseph second in command throughout the land of Egypt. He gave Joseph a wife who bore him sons, and commissioned Joseph to go throughout the land gathering and storing food.

All of Joseph’s hardships brought him to the exact place God needed him to be in order to bestow His blessings upon Joseph. So the obvious questions to me are:

Why do I ever complain?? If I am going through something difficult, isn’t God there, guiding me?

And if it is all part of God’s plan for my life, don’t I want to endure it so I can reap the benefits at the end of all the suffering??

So next time a negative thought tries to escape my lips I am going to try and look ‘up’ and keep my heart on the truth that God has something bigger than my momentary suffering planned for me!!