It’s All Part of the Plan

Joseph was on his way, destination unknown. His brothers sold him into slavery, and afterward an Egyptian named Potiphar bought him. Potiphar, basically the head of security for Pharaoh, brought Joseph into his beautiful home and put him in charge.

Joseph ran everything beautifully. But Potiphar’s lustful wife set her lustful sights on young Joseph. He resisted her constant advances, saying, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9 NKJV).

Then one day when they were alone in the house, she grabbed Joseph by the coat. Joseph ran out as fast as he could, but she falsely accused him of rape. So Joseph went to prison.

About eleven years passed from the time Joseph went to Potiphar’s house to the time he left prison. Joseph easily could have said, “God, I believed in You. I didn’t give in to that woman’s advances. I lived a life of integrity. And look where that got me.”

But Joseph waited. Ultimately, Pharaoh had a dream. Joseph interpreted that dream and became the second-most powerful man in Egypt. He warned Pharaoh that a severe famine was coming, so Pharaoh put him in charge of the food supply.

Eventually Joseph’s brothers came looking for food in Egypt. And ironically, the only food supply was under Joseph’s control.

It could have been payback time. But instead Joseph made an amazing statement: “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20 NKJV).

Joseph seemed to understand Romans 8:28 before it was even written. He understood that God was in control of his life. And he knew that God can take what’s perceived as bad and bring good out of it.