Genesis 39:5 - It came about that from the time he
(Potiphar) made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the Lord’s blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field.
Genesis 39:23 - The chief jailer did not supervise
anything under Joseph’s charge because the Lord was with
him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to
prosper.
Life isn’t fair. It has a way of
throwing you a curveball when you least expect it. Things may be going splendidly well with your
job, family, church, etc., and then suddenly, it all changes. Your world shifts and you are thrown into a
place you never wanted or thought you would be.
Joseph was in such a place. He
had been born a favored son but was betrayed by his brothers and sold into
slavery. As a slave, he was now considered a “nobody”. He became a piece of property
that was subject to the whims of his master. In spite of this, he served his
master (Potiphar) faithfully, only to later be falsely accused of rape and thrown
into an Egyptian prison. In the midst of
it all, however, God blessed him. He
blessed Joseph so much that no matter where he was, he was given a place of
authority. Both Potiphar and the chief jailer recognized something was
different about him and put him in charge of everything in their care. He rose
above slaves and prisoners alike to become a leader and administrator. The key
to it all: God was with him.
As I read this story, God reminded me of several difficult trials I
have faced - those unexpected curveballs that rocked my world. My
life had been going so well but then suddenly, it all changed. I was unwillingly flung from the mountaintop
into the valley. I went from feeling
like a “somebody” to a “nobody”. During those times, it was a constant battle
to resist the feelings of depression, hopelessness, and despair that sought to imprison
me. Daily it seemed, there was a new worry or additional stress to add to the mix. It felt
as if I was in a dark, cold prison and there was no escape in sight. It was also
during those times, that God’s Word became the life preserver in my
storm-tossed world - the bright light in my darkest night. I learned to speak
it, pray it and carry it with me everywhere. And, I learned first-hand that He
will never leave me or forsake me. God
walked steadily with me through everything and faithfully reminded me over and
over that I was “somebody” to Him. I was
valuable; I mattered; I was not invisible. He saw me and my situation.
In the midst of it all, He also blessed me. My relationship
with several girlfriends went from a surface level to a deeper place. Every
financial need we had was met. I grew emotionally and spiritually. I learned to be more compassionate towards
others, to wait on God, and to be real. I
would not be the person I am today if God hadn’t allowed these trials into my
life. Just like with Joseph, God did not
leave me alone during those dark times.
When I couldn’t walk, he carried me. When I couldn’t see, His Word was my light. He
enabled me to persevere to the end. The key to it all: God is always with me. And
if He is with me, I can rise above EVERY difficult situation that comes my way.
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