JOSEPH Unlikely Savior
SITTING ALONE IN A DUNGEON year after year, Joseph knew the nausea of hunger, the stench of decay, the insanity of isolation. He knew the betrayal of his own flesh and blood. Joseph’s brothers, who had rejected and nearly killed him, instead opted at the last moment to sell him into a life of slavery (37:18-36). After that, Joseph tasted the bitter pill of injustice when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of assaulting her, which landed him in prison without due process and with no end in sight (39:6-20).
Had God forgotten Joseph? Given the circumstances, it would have been difficult to think otherwise.
Surely Joseph must have prayed for an end to his suffering, but he had no way of knowing that God’s answer would be a means of saving an entire nation from famine and starvation. He couldn’t have known that his family would eventually be reunited, his relationship with his brothers restored, and his father laid to rest in peace. Joseph couldn’t have envisioned that he would someday be second-in-command to Pharaoh himself, wielding immense power in a land neither of his birth nor of his choosing.
Yet in the midst of difficult circumstances, Joseph remained faithful—so faithful, in fact, that the prison steward came to trust and rely heavily on Joseph, putting him in charge of the day-to-day operations of the prison. Even in terribly unjust suffering, Joseph was learning valuable skills that would later prove extremely useful. No, God had not forgotten Joseph.
God does not forget those who suffer
When called upon to serve his fellow prisoners by interpreting their dreams, Joseph did not hold out, bitterly refusing to use his gifts on behalf of others. Instead, he delivered the messages given to him from the Lord and trusted him for the outcome. Later, when called upon to serve Pharaoh with his God-given gifts, Joseph again gave freely, despite having been wronged. Ultimately, he was used by God to bless and save the lives of many (45:7).
Have you had a dungeon-like experience where you’ve felt mistreated? Have you cried out to God, wondering if he even hears? God has not forgotten you. In the midst of injustice, you can humble yourself in the sight of the Lord because he will be faithful to lift you up—in his time, for his purposes, and to his glory.