Refined

Ever been in a place where, you’re trying to do the right thing, trying to desperately do what’s right, and those hardships, those trials just keep on a’ coming?

When there, we may question – does God see me? Does He know? Does He care?

We have someone’s story recorded for us who experience just that.

Joseph, the boy with the beautiful coat.

Joseph who bounded through life, secure in his father’s love.

Joseph who saw inspired dreams foreshadowing his great calling.

Joseph who seemed to have it all.

Until one day, the trials began.

His life was threatened by his own brothers. Then his life was forever changed as he was sold off into slavery. We are told the Lord went with Joseph. I wonder if Joseph always had that first and foremost in his mind?

Joseph prospered in his slavery to Potipher until he caught the eye of Potipher’s wife. Although Joseph did the right thing, the God-honoring thing, he was cast into prison.

Prison. Where he had nothing to do, nothing to distract his thoughts from reality.

He’d been sold into slavery.

Taken to a foreign country.

Forced to learn a foreign language.

Forced to serve a foreign master while serving the God of his father.

And now, he’s in prison, completely innocent.

Does God see me?

Does God care?

Where is He in all this?

Many of us have been there. Maybe, you’re there today.  Stuck in the middle of a terrible plight in a confusing state, trying to make sense out of what went wrong.

Joseph knew he’d once had a dream. God once had a call on his life.

Stuck in a prison in a foreign country he couldn’t feel any further from that calling.

But what Joseph couldn’t see was God actively refining him for that very calling. He was priming him to fulfill that dream.

Joseph, like us, couldn’t piece it all together in the midst of the painful chaos, but he trusted God.

And God never let him down.

In the end, those dreams from his youth were fulfilled. God’s calling culminated in Joseph’s prosperity.

If you’re in a ‘prison’ you don’t deserve and can’t fathom how God can use this, even this, to fulfill your calling, trust Him.

Trust He is refining you. Trust He’s preparing you for the plans He has for you.

Trust your story is not over yet.

 

Prayer: Dear God, You are God. You do work all things together for the good of those who serve You. Even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. Thank You for recording Joseph’s story. May it fuel our faith even when we can’t fathom how today will fulfill a promised tomorrow. You love me. You know the plans You have for me. Thank you that I can trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.