My chronological Bible reading plan recently introduced me to Joseph. I had never noticed this before, but when Joseph’s life started getting good, it crashed. Three instances stood out to me.
- Joseph goes from a privileged son to a slave.
- Joseph goes from managing Potiphar’s household to prison.
- Joseph goes from being a favored prisoner to being forgotten.
Talk about a rough thirteen years of soul-jarring setbacks! Just when things were getting good, life crashed.
Have you ever felt like this? I have. Several times. Frustrating? YES! What in the world is going on? Why does God allow this to happen?
While this doesn’t make these times any easier, God allows these things to direct our path and grow us. The path and setbacks God has chosen for us are NOT what we would have chosen, but what we have learned and gained through them we are also not willing to give up.
Joseph had no reason to go to Egypt on his own. Joseph could not have become second in command over Egypt on his own. But God got him there through some nasty ups and downs.
So where is God, and why is this happening to me? Hang in there; the setback is not final. It is the end of one leg and the start of the next on our journey with God! The journey is going just where God intends it to go, working out for good for those who love Him.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8, ESV)
Thank you for joining with me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Genesis 38:1-40:23.