Keys to Resilience - a Journey With JosephExemplo

Let’s set the scene for today’s passage: Joseph is in prison, falsely accused (major bummer). But, because of the Lord, he’s in a position of leadership (major win). While there, he meets two guys - a cupbearer and a baker (which sounds like the start of a joke), and he interprets their dreams (a gift from God! But also the same gift from God that got Joseph sold into slavery in the first place). Spoiler alert: Joseph’s dream interpretations come to pass exactly, but the cupbearer forgets about him, and he remains in prison for two more years. Two years! And so, today’s resilience key (another spoiler alert) is patience.

Joseph had no choice but to wait out his time in prison. And what's more, he didn’t know how long that would be. He hadn’t been given a prison sentence of any length of time, and so for all Joseph knew he could have been in there forever. And so, once again - he found himself in a situation completely beyond his control. He had no say over his life, or his circumstances. But, once again, what he did have control over was his response. And the choice that Joseph made, in this moment, was the gifts of God.

In today’s Scripture, 1 Corinthians, we read that every follower of Jesus has spiritual gifts, and in Galatians 5 we read that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we find ourselves in situations that suck (like Joseph did), with no end in sight, it’s key to practice patience - and from that place of patience, we get to choose our response.

What would it look like for you to practice the gifts that God has given you in the midst of your worst circumstances? What fruit of the Spirit is God developing in you for such a time as this?

As you read today’s passages, ask God these important questions and pray that He would guide you to the answers. Becoming a resilient person requires fleeing from temptation, and putting patience into practice: remembering at all times that 'the LORD is with you'.