Hard times. Joseph had his fair share of hard times. Thanks to his boss’ lustful wife’s lies, he sat in a dank, dark prison. Joseph’s destiny wasn’t prison, but it was part of the journey to his destiny of serving as the provider for the nation of Israel.
Hard times. Sometimes they serve as the vehicle that drives us to our destiny. What makes the story of Joseph so amazing is that we see God’s plan unfold before our eyes as we turn the pages. But, just as it unfolded before Joseph’s eyes one day at a time, so too will God’s plan for us unfold moment by moment, day by day, year by year. You are going somewhere!!
The baker, butler, Potipher and his wife, Joseph’s brothers, his father Israel, the prison warden, Pharaoh, etc., all those people stepped in and out of Joseph’s journey. Consider this – select one of the players in Joseph’s life that you think he could have done without. Potipher’s lying wife or his jealous brothers are high on the list. But the truth is, everyone involved in Joseph’s life was required. God used all of those people to “escort” Joseph to his destiny. Potipher’s tall-tale-bearing wife was important. The forgetful baker was important. Joseph’s jealous, hateful brothers were important. Even the precious coat of many colors his father made was important. Without any one of those individuals running through Joseph’s life, Joseph’s journey to destiny would not have been completed.
What part of your life do you feel could be erased? Who in your life do you feel you could have done without? Which “hard times” would you scratch from the list? All of it is important. And God knows that. He’s not so out of touch with your life and your destiny to inappropriately place your “hard times” in your life. If God allowed it to happen, there is something God deemed as important in your life. Perhaps your hard times caused you to pray more. Maybe it threw you into a tantrum only to come out acknowledging God as the organizer of your life. Maybe it caused you to ask God why am I here? Maybe you squeezed out every ounce of faith, only to find out He’d given you some more. Maybe you cried, fussed and fumed, pitched a fit but finally looked to God for help. Maybe someone else saw your struggles (because they saw themselves in you) and stood by you in prayer and fasting.
Hard times test you. That’s for sure. Hard times also make you. It takes something to stay where God put you! Joseph tried to devise his own deliverance. But he found out soon enough that only God can truly bring release from a “hard place.”
He’s going to do it for you! But He’ll do it in His own time and in His own way! Until then, Lord, help us to wait and walk through hard times to destiny.
If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes. Job 14:14 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)
Well I know which hard time I would like to erase. However; the more I re-visited the why God was so gracious to show me at the time it was so necessary!!
Because of that hard time my sister is resting in the arms of Jesus, because of that hard time 6 family members have been baptized in Jesus Name, because of that hard time I’m moving forward to birth what God called me to birth because of the passing of my sister, in dedication to her!!
Lord forgive me for being sluggish and thank you for your mercy and grace as a reminder through this post!!