So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. Genesis 39:19-20, NKJV.
I learned a bunch of years ago that not all blessings are happy--which is why I object to the newer interpretations rending the word "happy" everywhere there used to be a "blessing." Joseph's story isn't the only one where a person went through unhappy situations while God was working on a huge blessing to come from it.
No, I DON'T believe God inflicts cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or other diseases or horrific situations on people. Personally, I think the source usually comes from way down a lot deeper--like hell, for instance. However, God is good at turning the tables on the devil and his minions.
Joseph is a prime example. Potiphar's wife had the hots for this good-looking young man from Canaan. Probably not many men she propositioned refused her, but Joseph did. That made her angry, and she blackmailed him. Joseph was doing his level best to be a good man, but he still got thrown into prison. I don't know about you, but it doesn't sound to me like it would be a fun place.
How about Noah? Can you imagine being stuck on a football field-sized ship with at least two of every animal on earth? (There were seven of every clean animal, remember.) Feeding and cleaning up after them could not have been the most pleasant job on the ship. Think about it--how much manure could all those animals have produced in a year's time? Talk about gagging a maggot!
Oh--and Paul--remember him? He got chased out of more towns than you can count. Thrown into prison. Beaten. Stoned. I'm thinking he got into a situation or two that wasn't abounding in happiness.
Maybe there was something God wanted them to learn. Maybe it took that particular situation to shake them out of complacency and get them ready for the challenges ahead. Whatever, the happiness didn't arrive until afterwards--in some cases, long afterwards and the best went to someone else. Joseph's situation was a blessing to his family. Noah and his kids started a new world of God-fearing people, at least for a time. Without Paul, Jesus's salvation message might have been known only by the Jews.
Many years ago, I had to move away from Phoenix. My job was ending. I cried and protested to God many times over to no avail. But, even though I went kicking and screaming, I went. It was here where I met the man who would be one of the happiest blessings of my life.
So, what I'm trying to get across here, is maybe God is letting you stay in that unhappy job or deadly disease for a reason. I believe there's a huge blessing in store for you--or maybe for someone else. I'll leave that up to God. After all, He's a lot smarter than we are.
Prayer: Father, help us to have the patience needed to get through the trials and temptations to get to the joy on the other side. Thank You for the strength and the hope. In Jesus's wonderful Name above all names, Amen
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