I’ve always like the story of Joseph. God was with him, and everything he touched was blessed. Don’t we all hope for that in our own lives? We want everything we do to succeed and be blessed. So why don’t we feel successful? Why do we sometimes fail?
That’s definitely a question to ponder. For us who are God-fearing followers of Jesus, we want that same blessing in our lives. When we live how God wants for us to live, blessings do follow. Our troubles start when we venture out on our own, making our own rules, deciding on a plan without checking in with God. If we want God’s blessing, we need to be faithful to him.
Before we think about how wonderful Joseph had it, remember he was sold into slavery and thrown into prison. It’s not like his life was without any trials or struggles. What we will see through it all is how Joseph stayed faithful. In spite of his lot, he was blessed.
I’ve seen these stories dramatized over the years. Particularly as a children’s ministry leader, the seduction scene was often one we didn’t focus on with the kids. To me, this was a sure sign of how faithful Joseph was to God. How many men do you know who would turn down the advances of a beautiful, rich woman? Especially with the reason Joseph gave — “it would be a great sin against God.” He even called it “wicked.” How refreshing was that?
Well, Potiphar’s wife didn’t think it was all that wonderful. She wasn’t used to not getting what she wanted. So what does she do? She throws a bit of a tantrum and shifts blame on an innocent man. I suppose she was thinking if she can’t have him, then nobody can.
Being thrown into prison was a horrible sentence in those days. The legal system was really non-existent, only at the whim of Pharoah. Many prisoners never made it to their “day in court” because of the poor conditions. Well, leave it to the blessed Joseph to do the right thing and be rewarded by the prison warden because of his abilities and reliance on God.
It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Joseph was different. He was faithful to his God no matter what. He didn’t let a set back deter him from his devotion. Can we say the same? Are we ready to throw in the towel with the going gets hard? Do we feel like we have been abandoned when things don’t go our way?
It’s up to us to look for God in our situation. He is there. Is he waiting patiently on the sideline for us to remember he is there? Or is He way on ahead clearing the path so we can get back on track? Maybe He is holding our hand because that’s what we need at this moment.
Take some time today to spend quietly with God. Readjust your focus and realign your devotion. God will use you to bless others. You can count on that. God will bless your situation if he sees your heart is truly devoted to him. If you aren’t living for God, you may not feel blessed. Ask God to lead to the situation he wants for you or clear your head so you can be more open to follow him.
Let’s pray. Lord, forgive me when I forge on ahead without you. Help me to reel in and truly focus on you and your will for me. I don’t have to be perfect, but I do have to trust you. I don’t have to have it all figured out, but I do need to rely on you to show me. May I bloom where you have planted me like Joseph bloomed where he was. I don’t want to focus on the “where” I am but the “who” I am following. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
