By Fayemiwo, Oluwaseun Oluwatobi, 24, Nigeria
As a child, I seldom fell ill but whenever I did, I had to get an injection. That was the part I hated the most. I always imagined that the nurses were sadist who simply wanted to prick my tender skin.
However, I’ve come to realize that the pain was necessary for my own good.
When I read about the life of Joseph, I think I have it much better. I figured that it must’ve felt really terrible when Joseph was sold by his own blood brothers into the Egyptian slave market for a mere 20 pieces of silver. I can’t imagine the emotional setback he faced from feeling unwanted and hated by them.
Even upon his arrival at the civilized Egyptian kingdom, the nomad boy had his hard work repaid with evil by his masters’ wife. She seduced him to fulfill her own immoral pleasures and got him thrown into jail for a crime he didn’t commit.
But it didn’t end there.
After being locked up in prison, Joseph interpreted the dream of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and was promised help. Unfortunately, after the cupbearer left, Joseph was long forgotten.
For thirteen years of his life, Joseph faced a whole series of trials.
At the end of Joseph’s ordeal, God elevated him to the post of governor over the land, second only to Pharaoh. His role became especially vital when famine came upon the land of Israel. Many flocked from Israel into Egypt to purchase grain. Even Joseph’s family was not spared of this plight and soon enough, his betraying brothers came prostrate before their “slave” brother. But Joseph did not once abuse the power granted by God to take his brothers to task. Instead, he extended forgiveness and compassion and reconciled his relationship to his brothers.
The nomad boy turned slave boy, prisoner and then governor of Egypt went through these different phases in preparation of God’s planned purpose. Our God works in strange ways by letting His children go through trying moments to refine them as gold.
Psalms 76:10 reads “Human defiance only enhances Your glory, for You use it as a weapon.”
When fellow humans put us in difficult situations, we should remember Joseph’s story.
Moreover, Psalms 119:71 reads “My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.”
Through trying times, no matter how long it takes, at the right time God will let us out of it, as His good purposes become clearer. Now, we should be grateful to our gracious God for His unrevealed purposes and patiently seek His ways.
