Joseph had a dream that he knew was from God. There was a distinct calling on his life and a good plan for his future. He lived a life of obedience and faithfulness.
And yet…
Disaster befell him. His own family rejected him. He was separated from his father, displaced from everything familiar, enslaved, wrongfully accused, imprisoned.
In fact, it seems as if the call of God on his life has sent him in a downward trajectory. Down into the pit, down to Egypt, down into the prison. Surely this must be a mistake. The sun, moon and stars are supposed to bow to him, right? Surely God must have forgotten His promise. Perhaps He even forgot about Joseph…
But God.
- Used the very evil done to Joseph to be the means by which his dream came true.
- Used the very evil done to His own Son to be the means though which our salvation comes.
- Will use my deepest, hardest, most painful trials to bring about His glorious will in my life, as well.
Because the greatest victories often come out of our greatest defeats.
Today, Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. One day, he will have the option to do the same to them. But the years of solitude serve to break generational curses and turn this teenaged dreamer into a man of character. A man who ends up declaring with all certainty, “You meant it unto me for evil, but God meant it for good.”
The path to God’s calling is rarely easy. Character must be built. Generational sins must be broken. Self-sufficiency must be set aside. Endurance and patience must be developed. Faith must grow.
Wait patiently; some things grow best in the dark.