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.

Jesus, remind me that there was a time when life was reasonably normal for me. I had my problems and issues; but, it was a life that I was used to. There were things that I wanted to be improved and made better; but, I didn’t want my whole life to change. Help me see that Joseph was about to have his whole life drastically changed. Teach me that when things like that happen to a person, there are incredible emotional traumas that take place. Show me how Joseph survived this massive change in his life. Show me that 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. Jesus, show me that 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. Help me see that, that happened to me; there was a time when I was settled into a routine. I had ways of working around my problems; things were staying pretty much the same day by day. Then something happened that opened the door to my struggles with loss of a loved one. It kept me from being able to go back to the life I had before this challenge took over. Like Joseph, I am now going to have to make some emotional and physical adjustments to survive. Show me that this is where God came through for Joseph and it is where He is coming through for me.

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.”

Jesus, make it clear to me that it is normal for me to have to face difficulties, problems, and issues. Show me that God put me on this planet so I could become His child, and, so I can learn how to be skillful in winning over challenges. As a child of God, teach me that I have special powers and abilities available to me. Teach me that this life on earth provides me with challenges that give me opportunites to learn how to use God’s power and provisions. Help me understand that if I weren’t faced with difficulties, I wouldn’t have anything to practice on. Show me that God has some very dynamic plans for my life here on earth and in eternity. But, help me see that they are going to require that I become trained, skillful, experienced, and successful.

Jesus, teach me that I have a spiritual enemy who is called Satan; he wants to destroy me so I can’t become successful in the things of God. Teach me that 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. Show me that Joseph’s brothers were yielding to Satan and wanted to kill that plan of God.

Jesus, help me understand that Joseph’s life was about to move out of his control. Make it clear to me that You were right there protecting Joseph; and, You were right there protecting God’s plan for his life. Help me see that You are also right there protecting me; and, You are right there protecting God’s plan for my life. Just like things were really looking bad for Joseph, so are they looking bad for me. BUT, let me see that nothing is going to kill me or my dream as long as I keep my eyes on You.

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, You knew I was going to be facing these difficult challenges; and, You made sure there were special protections, instructions, training, and power waiting to protect me. Help me keep in mind that everyone has to face the difficulties of life; no one escapes. Teach me that the choice is, do I want to face them alone, or, do I want to face them with You and Your power? I have chosen to face them with You and all You have to offer; help me see that, that was the wises decision I will ever make. Show me that You 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 Joseph’s life. Help me see that He is doing the same for me.

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. Jesus, I know about being down in the pits or down in the dumps emotionally. Joseph was literally down in a pit; his life was out of his control; but, it wasn’t out of God’s control. Help me understand that God had given him a dream; God had shown him his future and it helped him see that he wasn’t going to die in a pit. Help me remember that God has a future dream for me; I now ask You to show me my future. You paid a heavy and painful price for my future. You bought me a wonderful and successful life that is going to be a great blessing to me and to many other people. Help me see that You aren’t just coming to my rescue; You are coming to the rescue of all the people You are going to help and save through me.

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.

Jesus, help me understand that Joseph’s brothers weren’t thinking these thoughts on their own; Joseph’s life wasn’t in their hands. Show me that God had plans for Joseph; and, He caused everyone and everything to play right into His hands. Help me see that, that is what is happening to me; God is in control of my life. Since God wanted Joseph to go to Egypt and He wanted Joseph to be trained in some life-classes along the way, He was seeing to it that everything was working together for Joseph’s good. So, He got Joseph out of the pit and headed him to his next life-assignment.

Jesus, I am going through some very difficult times; but, make it clear to me that my life isn’t in anyone or anything’s hands. Help me believe in the God that took Joseph from what looked like his death to a very dynamic and wonderful life. Help me be okay with the fact that I will be facing some challenges; but, I ask You, Jesus, to help me see them as life-classes. Help me see the pit I am in as a stepping stone leading me into a dynamic and wonderful life.

Jesus, teach me that the problem with loss of a loved one isn’t able to destroy me; You are going to lift me up and get me out. But, when You lift me out, help me not misunderstand where You take me next. Help me realize that You taking me out of this problem may not be the “out” I 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, help me see that I need to be heading toward my special destination. As You lift me out of this pit, empower me to trust You to know what to do with my 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. Jesus, my life may SEEM like it is out of control; but, help me see that just because it is out of MY control doesn’t mean it is out of God’s control. Teach me that when I accepted You as my Lord, Savior, and King, something very wonderful and special happened to me. Teach me that my heavenly Father took control over my circumstances. He brought me to these studies and prayers; and, He is using them to get me to the next life-class assignment. Make it clear to me that He is FORCING my circumstances to ALL work out for my 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.

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