Joseph: Faithful In Adversity Series

First prosperity is temporary. It is amazing how quickly life can change. All can be going so well and then the bottom can fall out of your world. Or all can be going terribly and then in a short time all things are going great.

In a span of a little over 3 years I went from a maintenance/electrical mechanic working on printing presses, to a assistant pastor, to a full time pastor in Milford Center New York, 4 hours away from my home town.

Live can change so quickly. Both for the good and for the bad. Everything of this world is temporary.

Joseph went from being a favorite son, to slave in a foreign land in about three days. What a change for him.

If life is going smoothly for you now, praise God and be thankful. And if your are struggling, don’t despair, but remain faithful because God can and does change things.

The next lesson Joseph learned was that adversity is inevitable. Problems and adversity and to be expected they are part of life. We are called to suffer for Christ sake. The Bible tells us that just as we share in eternal life with Christ, we will share in His sufferings.

So be prepared for adversity, know that it will come into your life a some point, prepare for by remaining true to God, building faith in Him when things are going well, that way when adversity does come the anchor of faith will be firmly planted, and we can remain faithful during times of trouble.

The third lesson we learn is the effort is essential. Joseph was faithful under adversity, but it took effort. He but forth an effort to remain moral, to remain righteous, to remain faithful to God through it all.

Some people will buckle under adversity. The become bitter with God. Because they put forth no effort, expecting God just to take it all away. Some turn to alcohol, drugs, and other immoral behavior to try to escape adversity.

We need to realize that facing adversity is hard work. Sometime we have to push ourselves to keep coming to church, to read our Bibles, to pray to God, to praise Him. These things which take effort. Sometimes we may not feel like it, but we must put forth an effort to be faithful.

The last lesson we learn from this passage is that God is faithful. Life may seem unfair at times. Sometimes we think we are getting the short end of the stick. Sometimes we wonder if God is paying attention to us.

But through all this we must learn and believe that God promises us that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. Realize that God see the whole picture, while we see but a small part.

Isa. 43:2 tells us, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you: and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you, When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze".

Know that God is faithful through all things. Robert Hamilton wrote these words;

I walked a mile with pleasure and she chattered all the way

But left me none the wiser For all she had to say

I walked a mile with sorrow And ne’er a word said she