Have you had one of those days or weeks where nothing seems to go right no matter what you do? Even though you feel you tried your hardest, things did not work out like you thought they would. Well, that is when you must learn to develop perseverance – diligently working towards something despite the difficulty or delay in achieving success. During these discouraging times – whether personal or professional – it may help to think about Joseph, the son of Jacob. He is a great example of how to live with integrity and maintain our belief that God will come through for us in His perfect timing!
Are you struggling with a sibling or family situation or maybe with someone you work alongside in the ministry? You feel like you are doing a good job, but someone becomes jealous of your achievements. You may recall that Joseph’s brothers were so jealous of him that they sold him into slavery. He had every reason to give up. But God had given him a vision that he would one day be the leader of his family. He didn’t grumble, he didn’t complain. He worked hard to become the best slave he could be.
Maybe you have experienced a difficult situation at work and even though you were not at fault and were honest about it, you still paid the price. Joseph was accused of making advances towards his master’s wife. He had not done anything inappropriate, but she lied, and his master believed her. Joseph was repaid for his diligent efforts by being thrown in the dungeon. Surely, he had every right to be bitter and give up, but instead he persevered with a good attitude. Why did he do this? Because he maintained that God had a plan for him and that he needed to be patient and wait out the troubles he encountered.
Perhaps in your ministry you have been put in charge of a program and you are excited to see it come together. However, your superior suddenly announces that you must put that initiative on hold to implement a different program. Even though it is not what you wanted, are you willing to make that change with a good attitude? Joseph had been diligent to be the best prisoner possible in hopes of getting out of prison. In fact, he had obtained the guards’ favor because he did their work for them and made their life easier. Why would he do that? Because even though it was not where he wanted to be, he still knew that God had a plan; all he could do for now was remain positive and productive with the hope that things would change. It is during these difficult seasons that we must dig deep and push forward until God’s plan for us is revealed.
Finally, your program is put into action, and it is so well received that you see that it would not have been as successful if it had been implemented any earlier. After two more years of waiting, Joseph was then called upon to interpret the king’s dream of a pending disaster. To survive the difficult times coming, Joseph was put in charge; he was second only to the king in running the kingdom. God had been preparing Joseph for this job – and ultimately to save his family from starvation. Joseph’s patience and perseverance while waiting on God’s timing was the key.
For us to be the best version of ourselves, it requires fighting through the frustrations, disappointments, and the traps that the devil sets. Our task is to make sure we are doing what God has called us to do. When our hopes, dreams, and visions are destroyed or changed by circumstances beyond our control, we must look to God and remind ourselves that His timing is not our own. We must persevere and remain faithful and diligent even in the worst of times. We must not hold grudges, forgive even when it is not deserved, and most importantly, faithfully serve where God has put us. He will work out the rest.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” - Genesis 50:19, 20
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