“The Lord was with Joseph and blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.”
“The chief jailer had no more worries after that, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him, making everything run smoothly and successfully” (Genesis 39:2, 23 NLT)
Maybe you’re not on top of the mountain, living the life of the rich and the famous or even doing more than getting by. Quite possibly you feel like Joseph, enslaved and imprisoned.
Look around. Where ever it is that makes you feel dragged down and defeated, look around. Do you see God at work in the surroundings? Do you see Him using you in the slave quarters you’re currently in or in the dungeon you’ve been sentenced to?
I’m pretty sure Joseph had to look for his blessings, too. I doubt the shackles around his ankles were made of silk instead of steel. I dare say his accommodations were not superior to any other slave in his master’s house. I will almost bet the prison he was sent to wasn’t a lush green garden and his days weren’t filled with sunshine and flowers.
I think Joseph had to look for his blessings—because, dear friends, not all blessings are material.
Was it an attitude of joy, peace and hope that God granted him during his tough times? Was it a heart filled with love towards those worse off than he? Was it his gut-feeling? His deep-down knowledge of being loved and used by God for something bigger, grander, more exciting? Was he blessed by the folks he ministered to? Did he talk of God to everyone he met? Was he a missionary in his master’s house or in the jail cell?
You might be working a job you hate. You may find yourself still enslaved to a sin you’ve been battling for years. You might be surrounded by enemy. You may not have all the newest, latest or grandest of things…but do you see Him where you are?
Have you been given an opportunity to be the only Christian in your workplace? Are you blessed with acquaintances who have sought you out in times of need, when prayer is what will work? Have, out of your little, been able to share with another? Have you been able, physically able, to talk about Christ while sitting in the chemo chair? Have you shared a church pew with your family, after a battle over the effort it took to get everyone there, pressed and clean?
If you’re God’s child, then you need to look for His hand, His favor, His blessing in your day-to-day life. It will be there. It may take a while to discover it, but once you’ve located it in your day, there’s no doubt as to where it’s coming from.
Malinda Edgell
Illinois
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the WNAC Executive Committee as they consider candidates for WNAC Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
