Scripture:

“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.’

 

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’ Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, ‘Make way!’ Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

 

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.’ Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.

 

Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.” Genesis 41:39-49 (NIV)

Perspective:

Standing before Pharaoh would have held an uncertain outcome at best. If God had not helped Joseph interpret the dream, then he could have lost his life. He didn’t know that this moment with Pharaoh was his ticket out of jail, but God did. If God had not been weaving people’s stories together, then the outcome could have been quite different. While in jail, Joseph was known by the cupbearer to Pharaoh. If he had not been in jail, the likelihood of their paths crossing might have been non-existent. God was weaving good into each season, even the ones with challenges and difficulty. God knew the preparation that He had been doing in Joseph’s heart as the years passed, while Joseph was overlooked and forgotten. God had not overlooked him. In the place of his greatest despair, God was raising up an influencer who would change nations. To Joseph, it probably looked like a smelly, old jail cell full of unfulfilled dreams, the forgotten promises of other people, and hope that was wearing thin.  Yet, God had gone to work in the very place Joseph wanted to leave. When Pharaoh gave him authority, Joseph now knew that it was God’s gift to steward. When Pharaoh allowed him to be in charge of food collection, Joseph knew that it was an opportunity to save a nation. When Joseph would later face his brothers who sold him into slavery, Joseph would finally understand how God had been working all along. Joseph’s entire life changed in one moment. He went from sleeping in the dungeon to having authority over the people of Egypt. He embarked on a new season with a plan that God had given him. God was going to strategically use him to not only save the Egyptians during the famine but to also save Joseph’s extended family. As Joseph was diligent in his assignment, God’s divine orchestration in his life became a blessing for many.

 

Like Joseph, we don’t know when the change in season is coming. Joseph was faithful to God in the previous season while he was unfairly accused and imprisoned. He was faithful to God when he was head of Potiphar’s household. He was faithful to God even when his brothers sold him into slavery. We can find ourselves being faithful while facing outcomes less than desirable. In understanding seasons, we can walk into a new level of faith and trust in God, knowing that His preparation in one season will carry us through another season. The struggle that you are facing is not in vain. God is masterful at orchestrating all of the details of our lives into something useful for His glory. If your hope is wearing thin, trust God in this season of your life. You don’t know when your “moment with Pharaoh” will come, but God does. He knows what you need when you get there, and He is willing to take the time to help prepare you as only He can do.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

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About Hona Amer

I help people live life to the fullest. Check out my book, Smart Work U. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In order to receive updates, subscribe below.

 

 

 

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