Gen 37:12-13 (NIV) Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.” “Very well,” he replied. There was a time when life was reasonably normal for you. You had your problems and issues; but, it was a life that you were used to. There were things that you no doubt wanted to be improved and made better; but, you most likely didn’t want your whole life to change. Joseph was about to have his whole life drastically changed. When things like that happen to a person, there are incredible emotional traumas that take place. How was Joseph going to survive this massive change in his life? He won each challenge through something that he had previously tried to use to impress people.

Gen 37:18 (NIV) But they saw him (Joseph) in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. Even though Joseph didn’t realize it, he was leaving home permanently. He thought he was just on a temporary journey and would go back to the way things were. That happened to you; there was a time when you were settled into a routine. You had ways of working around your problems; things were staying pretty much the same day by day. Then something happened that opened the door to your struggles with loss of a loved one. It kept you from being able to go back to the life you had before this issue took over. Like Joseph, you are now going to have to make some emotional and physical adjustments to survive. This is where God came through for Joseph and where He is coming through for you.

Gen 37:19-20 (NIV) “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” Like all humans, it is normal for you to have to face difficulties, problems, and issues. God has you on this planet so you can become His child; and, you are here to learn how to be skillful in winning over challenges. As a child of God, you have special powers and abilities available to you. This life on earth provides you with challenges that give you opportunites to learn how to use God’s power and provisions. If you weren’t faced with difficulties, you wouldn’t have anything to practice on. God has some very dynamic plans for your life here on earth and in eternity. But, they are going to require that you become trained, skillful, experienced, and successful.

You have a spiritual enemy who is called Satan; he wants to destroy you so you can’t become successful in the things of God. These brothers of Joseph were yielding to Satan’s attitudes and character. God had a wonderful dream He had planted in Joseph’s heart. He wanted it to empower Joseph and inspire him into a life-plan that was going to help a lot of people. Joseph’s brothers were yielding to Satan and wanted to kill that plan of God. Joseph’s life was about to move out of his control; however, Jesus was right there protecting Joseph and protecting God’s plan for his life. Jesus is also right there protecting you and God’s plan for your life. Just like things were really looking bad for Joseph, so are they looking bad for you. BUT, nothing is going to kill you or your dream as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus.

Gen 37:21-22 (NIV) When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. Jesus knew you were going to be facing these difficult challenges; and, He made sure there were special protections, instructions, training, and power waiting to protect you. Everyone has to face the difficulties of life; no one escapes. The choice is, do you want to face them alone, or, do you want to face them with Jesus and His power? You have chosen to face them with Jesus and all He has to offer; and, that was the wises decision you will ever make. Jesus had Reuben there to keep Joseph’s brothers from killing him. God knew how to make sure Joseph was able to keep moving forward toward that special plan He had for his life.

Gen 37:23-24 (NIV) So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe--the richly ornamented robe he was wearing--and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. You have heard about being down in the pits or down in the dumps. Joseph was literally down in a pit; his life was out of his control; but, it wasn’t out of God’s control. But, God had given him a dream; God had shown him his future; and it wasn’t dying in a pit. If God hasn’t shown you your dream yet, ask Him to show you your future. Jesus paid a heavy and painful price for your future. He bought you a wonderful and successful life that is going to be a great blessing to you and to many other people. Jesus isn’t JUST coming to YOUR rescue; He is coming to the rescue of all the people He is going to help and save through you.

Gen 37:25-27 (NIV) As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. Joseph’s brothers weren’t thinking these thoughts on their own; Joseph’s life wasn’t in their hands; God had plans for Joseph; and, God caused everyone and everything to play right into His hands. Let Jesus show you that, that is what is happening to you; God is in control of your life. God wanted Joseph to go to Egypt and He wanted Joseph to be trained in some life-classes along the way. So, He got Joseph out of the pit and headed him to his next life-assignment.

You are going through some very difficult times; but, your life isn’t in anyone or anything’s hands. Believe in the God that took Joseph from what looked like his death to a very dynamic and wonderful life. You will be facing some challenges; but, pray and ask Jesus to help you see them as life-classes. See the pit you are in as a stepping stone leading you into a dynamic and wonderful life. The problem with loss of a loved one isn’t able to destroy you; Jesus is going to lift you up and get you out. But, when He lifts you out, don’t misunderstand where He takes you next; taking you out of this problem may not be the “out” you wanted. Joseph didn’t go back home; he went to his next assignment. Just like Joseph needed to be in Egypt so his dream could be fulfill, so do you need to be heading toward your special destination. As God lifts you out of this pit, trust Him to know what to do with your life next.

Gen 37:28 (NIV) So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. Your life may seem like it is out of control; but, just because it is out of YOUR control doesn’t mean it is out of God’s control. When you accepted Jesus as your Lord, Savior, and King, something very wonderful and special happened to you. Your heavenly Father took control over your circumstances. He brought you to these studies and prayers; and, He is using them to get you to the next life-class assignment. He is FORCING your circumstances to ALL work out for your good. Rom 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

You aren’t suffering alone; Jesus is right there with you. You aren’t suffering needlessly; you are being trained for how to help hurting people all around you. You aren’t suffering in order to lose; Jesus is teaching you some powerful and wonderful principles that will set you and many others free. You aren’t suffering because you did something that you are being punished for; Jesus has already forgiven you for everything you have done, are doing, and will do that is wrong. You aren’t suffering because you are being mistreated; Joseph wasn’t being mistreated even though it looked like it at the time. You, like Joseph, will see things perfectly clear when you get to the prize. The challenge is for you to be like Joseph and go through these life-classes with power, faith, peace, joy, and ultimately to victory. Jesus wants to give you the power, faith, peace, and joy you need so you can win all DURING the journey.