Sometimes I find myself wondering how people in the Bible felt as they were going through all I read about. Sometimes the Bible mentions or implies, but we don’t always get the gritty details. Like when Joseph was sold by his brothers, taken to Egypt as a slave, and then unjustly imprisoned, what all was going through his mind? (Genesis 37:13-36, and chapters 39-40) He must have had faith in God long before then since the Bible doesn’t mention Joseph having a particularly difficult struggle with doubt, but Joseph certainly did feel things about all his circumstances. Yet despite it all, it seems that Joseph calmly carried on with the confidence that God knew what was happening and that everything would all turn out for good.
While talking with a friend about Joseph, I found we both got the idea that when Joseph asked Pharaoh’s butler to mention him to Pharaoh and get him out of prison, Joseph felt saddened when the butler forgot. Joseph finally had a chance to get out of his predicament, and it didn’t work out. Still, given the way the whole narrative is told, it seems Joseph remained calmly steadfast in knowing that God had a plan, and by the end of it all Joseph had the whole picture (Genesis 50:20). I would like to be that calm about any predicament in which I find myself, to be that willing to just do my best wherever I’m at because I know God has got the rest handled.
Even when circumstances are bad, God can turn it all around for good. All I have to do is trust Him and let Him do His work while I do the work He’s given me.
Joseph’s whole story: Genesis 37 and 39-50.
More on Joseph: Faith Outside of Trials