“But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” – Genesis 39:21
We might be inclined to become confused, frustrated, discouraged, and angry with God about being wrongly imprisoned. Joseph was imprisoned based on the false testimony of his master’s wife. However, Joseph’s time in prison was a key element of God’s unfolding plan to bless him personally, save the line of Messiah from starvation, save the nation of Egypt from starvation, and grow the family of Israel into a nation with whom He would one day covenant in the Wilderness. God’s plan of redemption for the entire world passed through that prison cell!
In the midst of an Egyptian prison, God was faithfully with Joseph, showing him steadfast love and blessing him. The Bible is very clear, that as followers of Christ, God won’t exempt us from hard times, injustice, and suffering. However, He will be with us through those hard times, faithfully loving and blessing us.
When we feel trapped in the prisons of life (literal or metaphorical), we shouldn’t merely focus on praying for release. We should learn to see and hear God’s voice in our ongoing trial. We must seek to grow in our awareness of His faithful presence, because He’s promised He is always with us. We should also be looking for the signs of what God is doing or will do with our time of suffering for His glory. God’s will may well be hard, but it’s also good, for He is good, kind, merciful, and faithful.
NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on January 19, 2021.