Sometimes Life is a Test


Sometimes Life is a Test

By Don Vess

Psalm 105:16–22 (NLT)
He (the Lord) called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply.
17 Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.
19 Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
20 Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.
21 Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all his possessions.
22 He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.
We all have a God-given destiny! We should also have a God-given vision of what that destiny looks like. Joseph did—God had given it to him.

Genesis 37:2–10 (NLT)
This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was 17 years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half-brothers, the sons of his father’s wives, Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing. Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.

4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.
5 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever.
6 “Listen to this dream,” he said.
7 “We were out in a field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly, my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”
8 His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.
9 Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”
10 This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?”

11 While his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.
Joseph’s brothers hated him and wanted to prevent him from fulfilling his dreams. When Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers, they saw him coming and plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said. “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we will see what becomes of his dreams.”

But Reuben, the oldest brother, persuaded them not to kill Joseph. Instead, they stripped him of his robe and threw him into an empty cistern. Later, they sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelite traders, who took him to Egypt.

God had to position Joseph to fulfill his destiny. It was His plan all along. Sometimes, the journey toward God’s purpose for us isn’t one we would choose, but it’s the one He knows we need.

Joseph’s Trials and Triumph

Joseph served the Lord well in whatever circumstance he found himself. This faithfulness molded him into the leader he would become. In Potiphar’s house, Joseph earned favor and was promoted. Later, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and imprisoned. Yet even in prison, he gained the trust of the warden and was put in charge of the jail.
God gave Joseph wisdom and the ability to interpret dreams. When Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker were imprisoned, Joseph accurately interpreted their dreams. Two years later, when Pharaoh had troubling dreams, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and recommended him to Pharaoh. Joseph explained that Pharaoh’s dreams foretold seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. He advised Pharaoh to store surplus food during the years of plenty to prepare for the famine.

Pharaoh was so impressed that he appointed Joseph as second-in-command over Egypt. Under Joseph’s leadership, Egypt not only survived the famine but also provided for neighboring nations.

When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking food, they unknowingly bowed before him, fulfilling his dreams. In a moment of grace and forgiveness, Joseph revealed his identity and said:

Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Application:

Life can feel like a test. The path God takes us on may not align with our preferences, but every trial and detour shapes our character and prepares us for our destiny. Like Joseph, we must trust God through the process, knowing He is faithful to complete His work in us.

If you are in a season of testing, remember:
* God is sovereign and has a plan.
* He can turn what others intend for harm into something good.
* Trust in His timing and His purpose.
Hold on to your faith. God is shaping you for something greater than you can imagine.