Motivated by the ImpossibleSample

THE VOICE OF HOPE

The Old Testament story of Joseph has had a deep impact on my life and continues to inspire me. His journey, chronicled in Genesis 37–50, is significant in understanding the development of our own gifts, character, and perseverance, and how to handle success with humility and compassion. 

The son of Jacob and Rachel, Joseph lived in the land of Canaan with his ten older half brothers, one younger brother, and at least one half sister. He was deeply loved and favored by his father, who gave him the coveted gift of a coat of many colors. Unfortunately, the jealousy of Joseph’s brothers placed him on a “bus ride of life” for which he had no ticket and no time to prepare, to adjust his perceptions or hone his survival skills. He was seventeen when his brothers ripped his coat off his back, threw him into a pit, and sold him as a slave to passersby. His life went from a place of safety to a nightmare of slavery in moments. 

For the next thirteen years, Joseph endured a degree of suffering that few of us have faced: betrayal, false accusations, forgotten promises, wrongful imprisonment. Joseph lived in a place of uncertainty and injustice. Like most of the narratives in Scripture, the actual emotions he experienced are not recorded. Reading between the lines, however, we quickly observe that with each trial he endured, his trust in the Lord was unwavering, and God’s favor was always upon him. 

His life turned completely around when at age thirty he interpreted a dream for Pharaoh and suggested a policy to prepare for the upcoming famine. Pharaoh and his servants came to believe that God spoke through Joseph. Just as suddenly as he had been thrown into the pit, his season of suffering ended—and he became second in command after Pharaoh! All the unfair circumstances had matured his character through discipline, self-control, faith, and patience. He came out of his prison experience able to reign as God’s servant. 

Perhaps you, too, can relate to what Joseph experienced during his darkest moments. When the "bus ride of life" propels us into the darkness and fear of the unknown, frantic questions crowd in. Why is this happening to me? How long is this going to last? Why isn’t God helping me? Does He even care? We may question our ability to survive and even doubt our sanity. 

We become overtaken by despair when our expectations for a better future die in our past disappointments. The feeling of unfairness can only be silenced with the voice of hope. When hope lives in the present, it carries a resurrection power that sustains our future. 

Pay attention to the way you express your current experiences. Words of complaint, resentment, jealousy, and hatred toward God and others are evidence that you are believing the lie that you have been abandoned. 

Alone.

Misunderstood.

Forgotten. 

Just like you and me, Joseph most likely had to remind himself of the truth that no matter how much had been stolen from him in the natural, “the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper” (Genesis 39:23).

Going through dark seasons will challenge your beliefs and your ability to be grateful when you feel cheated and falsely accused, having lost everything. You have the option to cling to your old comforts, accomplishments, and possessions, or to let go of what is in your hands to hold only to the work God is doing in you. That means forgiving those who have wronged you, which unleashes love and hopeful optimism back into your heart.