Prospering while Suffering

Bible Readings:

• Genesis 37

• Genesis 39

• Genesis 40

• Genesis 41

Joseph started out life as the favored son of his father, but the jealousy that engendered among his brothers made them throw him into a pit and eventually sell him to slave traders. He became the house manager of his master’s house, but just when things seemed to be tolerable, he was falsely accused of rape and thrown into prison. In prison he gained a level of freedom of movement that wasn’t granted to others and he met a person whom he assumed would be his route to freedom, but yet again, he was disappointed when this person forgot all about him when they got out of prison.

In almost all these situations, Joseph did the right things. He was obedient to his father, faithful to his master, and yet he was punished, not rewarded. He was faithful to God by resisting the temptation to sleep with his master’s wife, but he was brought low, not high. For someone who we could describe as trying his best to be a faithful follower of God, Joseph went through a lot of suffering. The course of his life is not one that most would envy.

However, when the Bible describes him in the midst of his suffering, it says “. . . and he [even though a slave] became a successful and prosperous man. . .” (Genesis 39:2 AMP). How on earth can someone be considered successful and prosperous when he was a slave?!!

The words “successful and prosperous” allude to material wealth, but during his time of slavery and imprisonment in Egypt, Joseph also experienced spiritual and professional advancement that set him up for the ultimate success God destined for him all along. As Potiphar’s house manager, Joseph got material benefits with the role that were not available to other slaves and servants. He might have had the best living quarters out of all of them, seniority whenever they had the opportunity to get goods from their master, and leadership over the other slaves. He would have done as well as he possibly could do as a slave.

Yet, it was in the most trying times that Joseph became spiritually prosperous. His faith in God’s promises for his life was tested until he could be fully trusted by God - and to be fully trusted by God is the greatest success there is. God needed Joseph to learn leadership and project management skills that he would never have learnt in his father’s house as the second youngest son. God needed him to learn how to interpret dreams with wisdom and humility so he could be a solution provider and not a braggart. God needed him to learn how to forgive those who betray him without reason. In God’s divine purpose and plan, Joseph learned these lessons through suffering. And while there was a lot of pain in the suffering, Joseph’s many setbacks proved to be the setup to the royal setting God had destined for him all along.

If you’re reading this devotional, you’re probably going through your own time of suffering or seeking to learn how to help someone who is suffering. It is undoubtedly a time of pain, confusion, despair, and questioning God’s goodness. As you read this devotional and learn from Joseph’s life, I pray God will work in your heart and life to help you understand that you can still prosper even while suffering. I pray you will experience God’s presence each time you read through this devotional so you know He has not left you nor forsaken you. I pray that when you look back on this time of suffering, you will be able to say, just as Joseph did, “[what was] meant [for] evil against me, God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).

Bible Readings:

• Romans 6:23

• 1 Peter 5:8

• John 10:10

• John 16:33

Before we dig into how to prosper while going through a period of suffering, the question on most people’s minds on this topic is “why does God allow suffering” or “why am I suffering?”

May I propose another question, though it may be unpopular: “Why not?” When sin entered this world, so did the wages of sin: despair, death, corruption, suffering. This is the fallen world we live in. There is a certain amount of suffering we go through in this world because of the collective and individual sins of humanity. We experience job losses because one of Adam’s punishments for sin is for all mankind to forever toil in labor in order to eat. We experience broken relationships and homes because a spouse in a marriage decides to commit adultery and give in to their selfish desires without thinking of the familial fallout. Our sins only have bad consequences. We experience good moments only by God’s amazing love, mercy, and grace.

Another reason we experience suffering is because we have an enemy, the Devil, “prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And he devours people through suffering. He steals, kills, and destroys our hope, joy, successes, relationships, families, careers, finances, and anything else he can get his hands on because we are beloved of God. The Devil seeks to hurt us in his misguided attempt to get at God. So some suffering we experience is not our fault. You and I may be doing everything right, but we have an enemy who is continually on the prowl for our destruction.

Finally, no matter how “saved and sanctified” we are, Jesus warned us that suffering is inevitable. In John 16:33, He said, “. . .In the world you will have tribulation . . . (ESV, emphasis mine).” The Message version (emphasis mine) says, “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties.” Jesus knew that because of the fallen world we live in, even his followers will experience suffering; some will experience their suffering just because they are Jesus’ followers. There is no “maybe” or “if you’re faithless” or “if you are not prayerful enough” to qualify the fact that there will be tribulation. The Message version also suggests that our “difficulties” will not be a one time thing. Periods of tribulation will be scattered throughout the course of our lives.

This would all be quite depressing if Jesus didn’t continue speaking in John 16:33. After Jesus says our sufferings are inevitable, He goes on to command his followers and those of us that will come after them generations later, “. . . But take heart; I have overcome the world (ESV).”

What Jesus is saying with these phrases is that for His followers, our experience in suffering should be different than how the world experiences suffering. While those who are not followers of Jesus may wallow and despair in their sufferings, we are to “take heart” because of Jesus’ victory over the world. “Take heart” means to be courageous, be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy even when you don’t feel like it nor the situation around you calls for it. We take heart because we know that because Jesus experienced victory over the trials and tribulations He faced in this world, so will we. God may not always get us out of the suffering as quickly as we’d like or as neatly as we’d like, but eventual victory is ours, just like with Jesus. He didn’t want to go to the cross, but He was willing to do His Father’s will and endure that suffering. And in doing so, He was victorious over sin and death once and for all.

Suffering, whether through our fault or not, is inevitable. However, for followers of Jesus, our victory and deliverance from that suffering is also inevitable.

Bible Readings:

• Genesis 39

• Psalm 37:23-24

• Isaiah 41:10

The phrase “the Lord was with Joseph” is mentioned four times in Genesis 39. This means that the God of Israel was continually with Joseph - protecting him, controlling and guiding events in his life, favoring him, and helping him even though he was a slave and a prisoner. Going through bad circumstances doesn’t mean that God has turned His back on you. For Joseph, and for you and me, God orchestrates good to happen in the midst of our sufferings.

The Bible describes four ways God was with Joseph:

1. The Lord caused all that he did to succeed (Genesis 39:3, 23)

2. The Lord caused Joseph to find favor in the sight of those who had authority over him (Genesis 39:4, 21)

3. The Lord blessed Potiphar’s house for Joseph’s sake (Genesis 39:5)

4. The Lord showed him steadfast love (Genesis 39:21)

All the ways that God was with Joseph limited his suffering and prepared him for the eventual glory God had in store for him:

• God controlled who bought Joseph as a slave. He orchestrated events so that Potiphar was the one who bought Joseph. Joseph “benefitted,” as best as he could under the circumstances, from being Potiphar’s slave in that Potiphar treated Joseph well and he was discerning enough to recognize Joseph’s gifts, abilities, favor, and blessing. He was willing to turn over the running of his household to a young slave who was in his twenties. This experience allowed Joseph to develop project management, leadership, and financial skills that would be very useful when he was eventually put in charge of all of Egypt.

• God controlled the type of prison he went to. Because Potiphar was the captain of Pharaoh’s army, Joseph went to a prison that held political prisoners. It was not the place for hardened criminals. He was able to move around freely in this prison because the prison warden was another person who could discern Joseph’s giftings and was willing to entrust the care of the prisoners to him. Because of the role he had in this particular prison, Joseph was able to meet Pharaoh’s butler, who would eventually recommend him to Pharaoh.

• God protected Joseph’s life when it was in danger. When Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of rape, he should have been executed on the spot. There is no way that a slave who rapes the wife of a high-ranking official, who is in the military, would have survived through the night once the accusation was made. Potiphar would have killed Joseph on the spot if it were not for God touching his heart and convincing him to put Joseph in prison instead. Maybe God reminded him of all the good Joseph had brought to his household? Maybe Potiphar didn’t really believe his wife’s accusations? The Bible never tells us why Potiphar gave Joseph a relatively light sentence, but what the Bible does tell us, many times over, is that God was with Joseph. And God being with Joseph kept Joseph alive long enough to become the second-in-command of all of Egypt.

If you are in a season of suffering right now, know that GOD IS WITH YOU! There is good that God is doing all around you right now. Look for the good and lean into them so you can prosper while suffering. Thank Him for the ways He is limiting your suffering even if you can’t fully see it now. If you are still alive in the midst of your suffering, there is still hope! God will teach you new skills, in the physical and spiritual, that you will use during and on the other side of this suffering. God will control the places you end up and the people you encounter in your darkest hours so that you can still experience His favor and lovingkindness.

Encourage yourself on a daily basis with the following Bible verses as you go through your trials. Write them out and put them where you will see them everyday to remind you that God is with you:

• Psalm 37:23-24: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (NIV)

• Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Bible Readings:

• Genesis 39

• Genesis 40:6-8

• Colossians 3:23-24

• 1 Corinthians 10:13

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Joseph bloomed while he was planted as a slave and a prisoner. Let’s be honest, he really didn’t have to. If your family betrays you and sells you off into slavery to foreigners, you have a right to be angry, fall into depression, and cry “woe is me” all the day long. But that is not the route Joseph chose. Joseph chose to be the very best that he could be with God’s help. The Bible doesn’t tell us why he determined to live his life this way - maybe he held on to the dreams he had as a boy about becoming someone great - but the fact that he did made a lot of difference in his ability to experience God’s goodness and presence during his time of tribulation.

Joseph bloomed where he was planted in the following ways:

• He was righteous, no matter what - Joseph chose not to sin in the midst of his suffering. If Joseph had slept with Potiphar’s wife, we could speculate that he could have become her concubine and a kept man. She might have orchestrated things to be even more beneficial for Joseph or even helped him gain his freedom. This thought may or may not have popped into Joseph's head, but regardless he chose righteousness over any temporary or seemingly permanent relief he might have gained from sinning. Even though he suffered even more from doing the right thing, God continued to be with Joseph and eventually brought him to a level of honor and glory that one night of indiscretion could never have gotten him.

• He was excellent, no matter what - Joseph could have been a surly slave and really, no one could blame him. However, he chose to do any and all work was placed in his hands to the best of his ability. God honored his attitude by making the works of his hand successful and prosperous. He was so excellent and favored by God, that his masters entrusted almost everything in their authority to him and never even bothered to check up on him. They were assured that if Joseph was in charge of it, it would be done well. Because Joseph had this attitude of excellence when he didn’t have to, he was able to learn project management and leadership skills that would prove to be very useful when he reached Pharaoh’s court. God also made it happen that when he came before Pharaoh, Pharaoh treated him the same way his previous masters had. The Bible says that Pharaoh made Joseph second-in-command over all of Egypt and basically made him ruler over everything and everyone in the Egyptian empire.

• He cared about others - While he was in prison, suffering himself, Joseph reached out to Pharaoh’s butler and baker when he saw they were sad and depressed. Joseph could have assumed the attitude of “I don’t need to get involved, I got my own problems” but he didn’t. He asked why they were upset and took the time to listen to their dreams and give them the interpretations that God gave him. Although it took more time than Joseph would have liked, the very same butler he showed kindness to in prison is the one who recommended Joseph to Pharaoh when he had dreams that needed interpretation. God used Joseph’s compassion to set up his eventual deliverance.

If Joseph had wallowed instead of blooming, he never would have become someone great. Most of us choose to wallow in our despair when suffering comes our way, and there are times when no one can fault us for choosing that option. When the pain is very great, we do need to take the time to cry until there are no more tears left. But God reminds us in His Word that while there is a time to weep and mourn, there is also time to plant and build up. When you feel God’s leading to be your best self possible - being righteous, being excellent, caring about others - even when you are suffering, follow that leading. Ask God for the strength and divine grace, that you don’t have, to do whatever He asks you to do. God will use your obedience to bring about your deliverance and victory.

Bible Readings:

• Genesis 40:9-15, 20-23

• Matthew 7:7-8

• Genesis 50:15-20

• 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

When Joseph had the opportunity to pursue gaining his freedom, he did so. He asked the butler to remember him and help him get out of prison when the butler gets reinstated before Pharaoh. The Matthew Poole Commentary notes of Joseph, “though he patiently endures his prison, yet he prudently uses all lawful means to get his freedom.”

We’ve noted that suffering is inevitable and that there are ways we can endure while we are in our periods of tribulation, but it does not mean that we cannot pray for deliverance and take up God-provided opportunities to get out of our miserable states when they come our way. If God meant for us to stay in our suffering or eternally wallow in it, John 16:33 would have ended after Jesus said there is trial and tribulation in the world. There would be no talk of taking heart and overcoming as Jesus did.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you seek deliverance and grace:

• Ask, Seek, Knock of God - In the Amplified version of Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus tells his followers to “. . . ask and keep on asking . . . seek and keep on seeking . . . knock and keep on knocking . . .” Jesus is saying don’t give up in prayer. Your situation may require multiple prayers, fasting, and calling on fellow believers to pray in faith with you. Only God knows which situations demand which level of effort. You just keep praying and seeking God’s face until you receive an answer from Him. And make sure the opportunity for deliverance that comes before you is an answer from God before moving forward. When we are in pain, it is easy to reach for anything that seems like a panacea, but just as God will provide opportunities for deliverance, the Devil may also present “wolves in sheep’s clothing” solutions that will only lead to more suffering. If you receive an opportunity for deliverance, make sure it aligns with the word of God. Any opportunity that goes against God’s Word is not from God. If you have the time to make a decision, ask God to confirm if the opportunity is from Him or not. He may use two or three other ways to send you the same message as a way to confirm that He is really the one opening the door for you.

• Go to people God leads you to, but don’t put your trust in them - While God may use people to lead to your deliverance, He will rarely do it in such a way that the person gets all the glory. God will deliver you through other people if He, and He alone, gets all the glory. We can imagine Joseph’s great anticipation the day the butler got out of prison. He eagerly waits a day, hoping for word that the butler has mentioned his situation to Pharaoh and that justice is on its way. A day of expectation turns into a week, then a month, then a year. By the time two years of waiting rolls around, Joseph’s anticipation has no doubt turned to utter disappointment. He had been betrayed by yet another person.

When God finally delivers Joseph from the dungeon and fulfills all of his dreams by making him a ruler in Egypt and having his brothers and father bow before him, Joseph gives God the glory when he is reflecting on his experience in Egypt. He had learned that it wasn’t people who determined whether good or evil happened to him - in fact, in his life, people mostly did him harm - it was God who ordered the affairs of his life and it was God’s love for him that made good come out of all of the evil he had endured. Joseph didn’t give the glory of his new status in life to the butler who eventually remembered him after two years or the pharaoh who promoted him. He gave all the glory to God who used people to bring about the deliverance he needed.

• Receive God’s great grace and power to deal with permanent afflictions - There are times after we have continually asked, sought, and knocked, that God’s answer to our prayer request of deliverance may be “No.” For reasons He may or may not reveal to us, God may say that our afflictions will be permanent. Yet, remember that God is still with you and you can still bloom where you are planted. God’s “No” answer does not mean He has forsaken you nor that you will not fulfill His plans and purposes for your life. God’s “No” means that you have the opportunity to experience God’s power and grace in abundant measure. Accepting that your affliction is permanent is not easy and the lifelong challenges of living with that affliction will require great grace and power that can only come from God.

If God has confirmed to you that the affliction you are facing is permanent, I recommend you look up the life story of Joni Eareckson Tada for additional lessons and encouragement on how to prosper while suffering. Joni became a quadriplegic at 17 years old. She faced, and may still face, moments of great depression and dejection over her physical disability. However, with her faith in God and the support of godly people in her life, God uses Joni and the great things He has accomplished in her life to be a source of encouragement to millions worldwide. She is not only surviving, but also thriving.

When Jesus told us to “take heart” when we face suffering because He has overcome the world and His victory is our victory, He was calling us as believers to approach suffering differently than unbelievers. He wanted us to be courageous and joyful in the face of suffering because His plans are to prosper us even while we are suffering. God knows that if we keep our faith in Him, remember that He is always with us, and determine to be our very best in whatever circumstance we are in, He can and will use us to bring about His purpose and will for our lives and the lives of those in our spheres of influence. We may get full and complete deliverance from our times of tribulation or we may not. Either way, we know that while we are suffering God’s grace and power to see us through are more than sufficient for us. When we are weak, we can be strong.

Bible Reading:

• Isaiah 53

• 1 Peter 2:24

The ultimate depiction of prospering - being successful - while suffering is what Jesus went through to die on the cross for us. Each lash and whip against His body meant the forgiveness of your sins and mine. Each piece of thorn that pierced the skin of His head and scalp meant reconciliation with God the Father. Each nail that pierced his hands and feet meant that Satan was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to defeat - all for our sakes. Every physical and emotional pain that Jesus endured on the cross benefitted you and me and brought glory to God. There is no greater success in life than doing that which glorifies God.

Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior shares in His life of resurrection, victory, success, and prosperity that glorifies God. This life is not defined by material wealth or a life free of complications and tears. In fact, believers of Jesus know that suffering is inevitable. We also know that we will not be inundated by that suffering and that we can still accomplish great things to the glory of God while we are suffering. When we choose to be courageous, joyful, and our best selves in the midst of our tribulations, it is how we are victorious over our enemy, the Devil. When we “take heart,” we show the Devil that his attempts to destroy us have come to nothing. We frustrate his intentions and plans and are victorious over him, just as Jesus was when He resurrected from death and ascended to heaven to reign with God for all eternity.

If you haven’t believed in Jesus as your Lord and Savior yet, right now is a great time to do so. Put this devotional down and pray this simple prayer (feel free to put it into your own words) and He will come into your life and help you overcome any suffering you are going though:

“Father God, I confess that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I confess that the path I have been following till now is only leading to darkness and eternal death and suffering. But today, I am taking a new path. I choose to follow Jesus. I believe He suffered and died on the cross for my sins. I believe He rose up from the dead and is reigning with You in heaven. And I believe that following Jesus will lead me to You and eternal life in heaven. Jesus, come into my heart and come into my life, in your name I pray. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer of salvation, we’d love to know about it so we can connect with you with resources to help you grow in your faith.