Faithfulness In Misfortune - Joseph

The LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love.

Genesis 39:21

Have you ever wondered why God allows unpleasantness to come your way when you are serving him faithfully? Most of us find it easy to think that if God really loved us, he wouldn’t allow [fill in the blank] in our lives.

The next time you are tempted to connect the dots between God’s love and the peace and tranquility you would like to enjoy, try putting yourself in Joseph’s shoes for a moment. Though he lived an upright life, Joseph endured more than his share of injustice at a young age. His jealous brothers sold him into slavery, and though he thrived in Egypt in Potiphar’s house, he eventually found himself in prison, falsely accused of rape.

That sounds like more than a bad break, doesn’t it? But if you think that Joseph spent his time grumbling or complaining about the injustice of it all, think again! Through everything, Joseph continued to serve God and those in authority over him. His stellar conduct earned him the respect and admiration of everyone who knew him.

How did Joseph do it? How did he maintain a faithful heart when at times it must have seemed that God had abandoned him? The Bible has a five-word answer to that question: “The LORD was with Joseph.”

Though Joseph had to endure some incredibly difficult times, he appears to have maintained a constant sense of God’s presence in his life. Since Joseph knew that God was with him, he prospered in every situation he faced, including his false imprisonment. He didn’t know how or when things would improve, but he remained steadfast in his commitment to God, sure that God would reveal his hand in due time.

God doesn’t promise you or any believer an easy, trouble-free life. What he does promise is his continued presence through everything you have to endure, however difficult or agonizing the challenge may seem.