SCRIPTURE:
Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Genesis 39:20-23
OBSERVATION:
Can injustice, unfairness, and mistreatment be a part of God’s plan?
Throughout the story of Joseph, the author reminds us that God was “with” him. In fact, just a few verses earlier in Genesis 39:2, we are told that “the Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.” Joseph’s favor was solely due to the faithfulness of God in his life. Yet, it was in this very house of his Egyptian master in which Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison. Was this a part of God’s plan?
The first thing we learn about Joseph as he was thrown in prison was that “the Lord was with him” (Gen. 39:21). The same God that was with Joseph in his master’s house was the same God that was with Joseph in prison. And what’s more? God “showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden…and gave him success in whatever he did” (Gen 39:21-23). Was this a part of God’s plan?
APPLICATION:
Perhaps today, you find yourself in a prison you wish you could escape. It may not be one marked by wrought iron bars or barbed wire, but rather, mental blockages and personal discouragement. Perhaps even you find yourself trapped in a seemingly never ending, tiring cycle of weakness that you wish you could escape. And you find yourself questioning, is this a part of God’s plan?
Jeremiah 29:11 clues us into what God’s plan may or may not be. This verse reads, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God’s plan is never to harm you. If you find yourself in a place of hurt, harm, or evil, that is not God’ will for your life. God is never the source of evil––the devil is the source of evil. Sin––whether done by us or those around us––is the source of our hardship. God’s plan is to never to harm you. But if you have been harmed, take heart, for as Joseph learns at the end of his story, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20).
Romans 8:28 promises that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” As long as we remain faithful to God, choosing to turn away from our human nature back to Him when we fall short, God will always redeem the negative situations we face. While God is not the reason we end up in prisons, He promises to be with us in those prisons. And if we choose to surrender to Him in trust and obedience, He also promises to free us from our prison. And even more than that, He works all things out––even prison moments––for good.
PRAYER:
God,
Thank You for turning all things for my good. I turn from my own ways, and I turn to You. I know that You are not the cause of my struggles; You are the Redeemer of my struggles. Be with me, comfort me, and free me from the prisons that I face. You are almighty, and I trust in You alone.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
