One of the most challenging seasons of my life so far was when I was waiting for the adoptions of my younger siblings, Max and Mbali. A process that realistically should have taken no more than a year ended up taking six. Just when we thought we were on the verge of breaking through and finally getting them adopted, something bad would happen. Either our paperwork had gotten lost, our appointment had been canceled, we had received a straight-up denial, or our files were simply sitting on a desk collecting dust. It was over half a decade of waiting with many periods where all hope seemed lost. We were desperate for some form of good news, tired of making no progress, and unsure if God was actually working for our good.
You most likely have experienced these same feelings because waiting is an inevitable part of life. But to help us become better equipped to handle these situations, we’re going to look at a biblical character who had more than his fair share of waiting: Joseph.
Backstory
While Joseph was still in his youth, God revealed to him through his dreams that he would one day become a ruler of some sort. Joseph doesn’t keep this information a secret and boldly tells his family that they will one day bow down to him. As you can imagine, this doesn’t exactly go over well and causes a lot of unnecessary tension within the household.
An opportunity then arises that allows Joseph’s brothers to sell Joseph into slavery. Joseph’s own family traded him for money. Talk about trauma! At this point in his life, Joseph was merely seventeen. He was in a foreign land with no relatives and slaving away simply to survive. Things finally started to look up for him, however, when Potiphar promoted Joseph to his personal attendant. Joseph was slowly moving up in ranks, but this success was short-lived. Due to false accusations, Joseph was wrongfully thrown into prison.
So far in Joseph’s life, there seems to be nothing but injustice. Over and over, he is put into deplorable positions. Over and over, he does nothing to deserve them. Joseph seems to be in a perpetual (and painful) state of waiting, but God never abandons him. God continues to be with Joseph while he’s in jail and grants him much success. Joseph waited in prison for at least two years before God finally gave him the opportunity to get out: Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, which ultimately led to him becoming second-in-command over all of Egypt.
Live it out!
God eventually kept his promise to Joseph, but it took thirteen years, and nothing about it was easy (see Genesis 37-41.) So, what can we take away from this story?
God is never inactive when it comes to working in our lives- Philippians 1:6
Our natural inclination is to get out of difficult situations, but it’s during these seasons that we grow the most. Before God can work through us, He must work in us. It’s evident from Joseph’s life that God was using the waiting to develop his character. God was growing Joseph’s trust and dependence on Him, which ultimately prepared Joseph to become a good, godly ruler.
God is always with us, even when it’s hard to believe- Isaiah 41:10
I’m sure there were countless times when Joseph felt abandoned, but we’re told repeatedly in the Bible that God was with him, enabling him to keep going. In the same way, just because we don’t feel God’s presence doesn’t mean He’s not there. God promised to always be with us, and He is trustworthy to keep His promises. God gives us the grace we need minute by minute. Worrying about how to survive tomorrow steals the peace found today (Matthew 6:34.)
God doesn’t make mistakes- Ecclesiastes 3:1
God graciously wrote all our stories before we were born (Psalms 139:16,) and He is Sovereign over all that happens to us. God has lovingly filtered every aspect of our lives, which allows us to endure every season with purpose. We can rest knowing that our circumstances never surprise God.
Psalm 130:5: “I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His Word, I put my hope.” Just like God kept His promise to Joseph, He’ll keep His promises to us. The more we read the Bible, the more we’ll know the Author of it who yearns to help us in any and every season. God’s Word is our anchor in this life, and it will provide us with stability and hope when all else seems lost. We can have peace and joy in the waiting because He who holds the future is faithful and is working for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28.)