Life’s Misfortunes Create Opportunities for Unidentified Success

LIFE IS FULL OF UNEXPECTED TWISTS
Much like what happens in every story of a great hero, Joseph’s life was riddled with shocking twists and turns. As a child, he had unrelenting love from his father, who saw something special in Joseph among all his children. However, as the story unfolds in the Bible, we watch him turn from a beloved son to a slave to a convicted and prisoner and, finally, the country’s prime minister.
While his life story is written in detail chapters 37-41 of the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, we provide a summary of it below for your consideration.

JOSEPH’S LIFE STORY: A BRIEF OVERVIEW
As a child, Joseph was envied by his elder brothers because he was Jacob’s youngest son and the most beloved. One day, when they were watching the sheep, Joseph’s brothers decided to get rid of him once and for all. They threw him into the pit of a dry well, where he was stuck until a caravan of traveling merchants pulled him out and took him to the Egyptian marketplace with their merchandise.

Joseph was then bought as a slave by an official of the Pharaoh’s guard – a man named Potiphar, who soon realized the young slave’s prudence and talents. He entrusted Joseph with his household and estate. Soon, Potiphar’s wife was affected by Joseph’s handsome looks and manners. She tried to seduce him and, when that did not work out, she accused him of assault and her husband was left with no choice but to imprison the young man.

Over the years he spent in prison, Joseph came to be recognized as a wise man filled with profound knowledge. So, when two prisoners had terrible dreams they consulted him for interpretation. When one of these prisoners was freed, he forgot to discuss Joseph’s undue punishment with the Pharaoh for a long while – until one day the king had a complex dream and it reminded Joseph’s former companion in the dungeon of what happened with him and the interpretation of his dream that Joseph had given. So, he mentioned Joseph to the king. Joseph helped the king understand his dream and prepare for famine in the coming years with a great strategy. The king was impressed and made Joseph his special advisor and soon the prime minister for the entire kingdom.

IT MAY LOOK TERRIBLE, BUT IT MAY LEAD TO TERRIFIC
Joseph’s life was full of challenges and most of them did not give him the time to prepare for them. How did he survive them all then? How did he, despite the incredible odds, come out on top? The answer to these questions lies in the realization that God has filled our lives with challenges to reveal the best qualities in us and test our faith. Joseph had many opportunities to turn against God and give up hope, but he stayed true to his faith and always reminded himself that God was watching over him, just as we should remind ourselves that He is watching over us, too. We do not know what lies ahead in the future, but how we deal with what circumstances come our way now will determine our fate in the end.