Joseph: When Life’s a RollercoasterSample

Joseph and Prison: How to Flourish When Life Feels Stuck

Even when Joseph did the right thing (resisting Potiphar’s wife), he was falsely accused and imprisoned. It looked as if God had forgotten him. He could’ve wallowed in self-pity. Instead, he flourished, because he chose to cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit and to exercise the Gifts of the Spirit. Astonishingly, we can do the same.

Injustice is a bitter pill to swallow. Innocent, Joseph sat out his twenties in a dungeon. And yet God had a purpose through it all. Joseph eventually emerged from prison to become prime minister of Egypt. Of course, he didn’t know his story would end that way. Maybe you’ve experienced crippling injustice. Even subtle, seemingly not-so-bad injustice can feel like a prison, and it’s easy to lose heart after months or years of frustration. Thankfully, Joseph’s story provides beautiful perspective. God used the dark times to foster in Joseph the Fruits and the Gifts of the Spirit. Joseph’s public years as prime minister would depend on his transformation in these hidden years.

In Genesis 40:1-7 we read that God used Joseph’s spiritual gift of dream interpretation right where he found himself, languishing in prison. And gentle, mature, grownup Joseph in prison is very different from arrogant, teenage Joseph who bragged about his dreams, flaunting his fancy coat. It’s likely God has called you to exercise your gifts even in times of severe suffering, or when it felt as if He’d forgotten you. Serving God from that place can be sweeter than using your gifts when things are going swimmingly. Pebbles become smooth from being rolled around and smashed about in cold, dark places. Often this is how God knocks off the rough edges of our characters too. God doesn’t cause injustices or tragedies, but He uses them to change us, so we’re ready to operate in the Spirit’s Power and bring hope to a desperate world.

Joseph displayed courage and humility as God powerfully used his gift of dream interpretation. Unfairly stuck in prison, he didn’t wait for better days to obey God, step out in faith, and use his gift. What’s more, Joseph could’ve used his gift of interpretation to manipulate Pharoah and promote himself, yet he deflected all the glory to God. This is the Fruit of the Spirit demonstrated through the Gifts of the Spirit.

Let’s take a moment to thank God that He teaches us to trust Him, not just through preachers and prayer meetings, but when everything is stripped away, and we feel stuck. Let’s remember we’re not mini celebrities hustling to get our name in lights. We’re living to know God and make Him known, and like Joseph, we need courage to step out in faith and we need humility to act in the Power of God alone, trusting Him to use us in tough places to bring hope.