In life we will face adversity, and in those times God will deliver us. Acts 7:9-10
“The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.
Adversity can be like a canon shot. It can rock our world. Joseph is a great Biblical example of adversity. His brothers did not like him. In fact, they hated him. They wanted to kill him, but rather sold him into Egypt. They went back and covered the whole thing up with their father. They took Joseph’s coat and coated it with goats blood and then showed it to their father. They told him he had been killed in the field. All lies, and Joseph was headed to Egypt likely for the
purpose of becoming a slave. Yet, God intervened in the situation. Joseph was greatly afflicted by what his brothers had done to him. The adversity he faced in Egypt was great. Despite his great affliction and adversity, God rescued him. Not only did he rescue Joseph, God granted him wisdom and favour in the sight of Pharoah.
Application
Joseph, because of his position in Egypt, was in a position to save his brothers and his family when a great drought hit the land of Egypt. This occurred many years after his brothers had tried to sell him into slavery. Imagine the betrayal and rejection Joseph felt at the hands of his brothers. He had to be asking what he had done to receive such treatment at the hands of his brothers. Yet, Joseph did not rebel or become a criminal, or behave in any form of bad manner.
He remained faithful to God despite his circumstances. He even spent time in prison when he was wrongly accused of attempted rape. And yet through all of this he became a trusted advisor to Pharoah. Joseph, at God’s direction, made provisions for the coming famine. And when his family was in need of food, he supplied it.
We can learn much from Joseph regarding how to handle adversity. We do not have to like our situation, but we do need to make the most of whatever situation in which we find ourselves.
If we honour God in our difficulties, God will honour us.
What adversity do you face today?
Are you trusting God in your adversity to deliver you?