Out of the Mire – Trusting God in the Middle of Trials

Scriptures: Genesis 37:1-11, James 4:10

Arrogance often leads to trouble

I used to be a machine operator at a factory. One day, my boss gave me a compliment about my work ethic. I went home, bragging to my husband about how great I was at my job. 

The next day, I was operating my press, daydreaming, when *BAM! The press slammed down on something it wasn’t supposed to. The alarm went off, my press had to be shut off, the maintenance man had to be called over, and I got written up… it was a humbling and embarrassing experience. Let’s just say that I didn’t feel very arrogant anymore. 

It’s a laughing matter now, but in all honesty, arrogance is serious. It is a sin. 

Although Joseph is considered a great hero of the Bible, he was human and sinned just like the rest of us. Joseph likely struggled with the sin of arrogance. 

In today’s passage from Genesis, we see that Joseph had a God-given gift of being able to interpret dreams. He liked flaunting this gift to his family, despite his brothers’ irritation. They didn’t take too kindly to Joseph’s gloating. This didn’t stop Joseph! When Joseph had another dream about ruling over his own family, he not only bragged about it to his brothers but even to his father! 

The brothers were fed up. They were tired of Joseph, his dreams, and their father’s favoritism towards Joseph. Of course, Joseph’s brothers never should have harbored hatred toward Joseph. They were in the wrong about that. However, is there a chance that Joseph’s arrogance could have been part of the problem? 

James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Notice that humility is required first before God lifts you up. In other words, if we want God to show us favor, we need to lose pride and arrogance and choose a humble heart first. 

Though Joseph was a bright young man with a God-given gift of interpreting dreams, he needed to learn humility before God would allow those incredible dreams come to fruition.

Scriptures: Genesis 37:12-36, Psalms 37:1-11

A Life of Dissatisfaction

When I turned 17, I would drive downtown every Tuesday to see Grandma. We would hang out on the front porch and talk for hours. I grew very close to her during that time. 

Soon after that, she ended up eloping with a man half her age. My family and I didn’t see her for several years. 

Inevitably, the man Grandma married got into some trouble and abandoned her when she had no more money to give him. She was homeless and had no place to live. We took her in for a few days, but in order to protect her, we had to send her to live with my aunt several states away. I saw my grandma one last time before she died in 2019. 

Grandma showed me what it meant to be dissatisfied. She believed that things would always be greener on the other side of the fence. She missed out on a loving relationship with her family to chase something false. 

In today’s passage, Joseph’s brothers were not just jealous of Joseph, they were dissatisfied with their own lives. They wanted what they didn’t have: the love and favoritism of their father. They believed that if they could just “get rid of the problem” (Joseph), then everything would be better for them. Perhaps they would finally gain their father’s love and acceptance! 

Notice as you read the story over the next few days that nothing changed for the better for the brothers after they got rid of Joseph. In fact, things got so much worse for them! Jacob, their father, was more distant than ever. He wanted nothing to do with his sons. 

It’s a shame that Joseph’s brothers were unsatisfied when they had so much to be thankful for. They lived in a big family with wives, children, cousins, brothers, and a loving mother. They were prosperous with wealth and land. Perhaps they would have been much happier if they had focused on the things they did have rather than the things they didn’t. 

What about you? Is there something you feel dissatisfied about? Is there some matter you wish you could take into your own hands? 

Before you do, remember the story of Joseph’s brothers. Taking matters into your own hands is never wise. Instead, take your problems to God. He’s the only One who can truly give you the desires of your heart.

Scriptures: Genesis 39:1-6, Psalms 34

Joseph’s Lousy Career 

Have you ever had a responsibility you hated? Perhaps you dread Mondays and having to wake up early. Or you feel overwhelmed at home with the endless number of chores. Maybe you hate your mundane, boring job with little promise for success. Perhaps you have even gotten abused by your boss, clients, or co-workers! 

Psalm 34:17-18:The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

How magnificent is this verse? It’s a promise to us! When the righteous cry out to God, He will deliver them, He will hear them, and He will be near to them. It doesn’t say that He might deliver them or He sometimes will listen to them. No. Every single time the righteous call to Him, the Lord will hear and deliver them. 

Where we left off, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Can you imagine the hurt Joseph must have felt? But God was there with Joseph in his time of need. 

You can see in today’s passage that Joseph has done very well for himself. Potiphar gave Joseph a charge of his entire home. With Joseph around, Potiphar didn’t have to worry about anything… except what he wanted for lunch! Although it doesn’t clearly tell us how much time had passed before Potiphar promoted Joseph, it doesn’t seem like much at all, does it? God was so close to Joseph that He allowed Joseph to prosper in a short period of time. 

God saw Joseph. He knew about Joseph’s terrible situation and blessed him in spite of it. He knows your situation too. He understands how you feel when you wake up every morning depressed about your job. He hears how your co-workers treat you, and every mean thing said behind your back. He sees everything. So don’t worry! You aren’t alone! Perhaps you don’t see it yet, but God is doing good things in your life, just like He did with Joseph. 

In the meantime, even if you hate your job, remember that God is right there working alongside you. Although you may feel miserable for a short time, it will not be forever.

Scriptures: Genesis 39:6-23, James 1:2-4

The Pit of Despair 

Have you ever heard of Harlow’s “Pit of Despair?” It was an infamous experiment to test what would happen to baby monkeys if they were separated from their mothers. Dr. Harlow would put these poor monkeys in inverted-shaped pyramids. The pyramid had slippery sides that were difficult for the monkey to climb up. Even if he made it to the top, he had a short glimpse of the outside world before slipping back down into his pit of despair. The baby monkeys would give up after a day or so and huddle in the bottom of their pit, unwilling to eat or drink. 

Harlow’s Pit of Despair is a terrible torture to baby monkeys, but it’s a suitable example of how we feel when we are trapped in a pit ourselves. Sometimes, when we finally get some footing and reach for the top, we slide back down again, right where we were before. Just like those baby monkeys, it is so easy to give up hope when everything seems against us. 

In today’s passage, we see that Joseph was finally seeing hope for his future. Then we look at Genesis 39:20, and we see that Joseph is in yet another pit, except this time, it’s a prison. Joseph has now been betrayed twice: first by his brothers and by Potiphar and his wife. Just like the baby monkey, Joseph saw a glimpse of hope, but right when things started to look up, he fell right back into a pit of despair. 

The good news is that Genesis 39:21 says, “But the Lord was with Joseph in prison and showed him His faithful love.” Isn’t that beautiful? Although Joseph has now been betrayed twice, God would never betray Joseph. 

Do you think that God leaves you or betrays you when you go through trials? 

Though you might not feel it, God is standing right there with you during your darkest moments. Just as God was there in that cell with Joseph, Scripture is clear that God is also with you, constantly showing you His faithful love.

Scriptures: Genesis 40, Genesis 41, Psalms 40:1-3

Patiently Waiting 

A good friend of mine lives overseas. When he visits America, we exchange gifts. Last year, he brought me a bottle of French wine. He explained that the wine needed to mature for five years before enjoying. I managed to wait about three months. I cracked it open, poured a bit, and smelled it. It smelled horrible, like malt vinegar. I recoiled but took a sip anyway. It tasted like burning car tires. Unfortunately, I couldn’t just pour it down the drain after my friend was so nice! For several months, I unhappily drank small amounts of the “malt wine” until it was gone. 

The wine had the potential to be delicious, but in my impatience, I opened it too early. It was not ready to be enjoyed. 

Notice Joseph’s request to the cupbearer in today’s passage. Joseph desperately wanted freedom. After all, who would want to be in prison under false charges? 

Unfortunately, Joseph had to wait. The cupbearer was freed just as Joseph dreamed, but he forgot all about Joseph! Two full years went by. Joseph may have felt hopeless during this time, but there was Someone with him who would never forget him. God can’t forget about the people He loves. But God’s plans take time to work. 

Finally, Joseph’s time of waiting was over when Pharaoh had a disturbing dream. The cupbearer suddenly remembered Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation. Joseph was taken from prison and sent to the Pharaoh. After accurately interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph was given a position of honor! In mere minutes he went from lowly prisoner to ruler of all Egypt! 

It seems God finally delivered Joseph “out of the mire” once and for all. God was maturing Joseph just like fine wine. If Joseph hadn’t been thrown into prison, he would be Potiphar’s slave for the rest of his life. If the cupbearer told Pharaoh about Joseph prematurely, Pharaoh might have released Joseph from prison to make him a slave all over again. 

God’s timing was perfect. He used every single hard circumstance for Joseph’s good to exalt him in the end. 

Next time you feel forgotten, remember that God is making you wait for a reason – just as if you were a fine, expensive wine. It might be hard to wait, but it’s all in His perfect timing!

Scriptures: Genesis 42, 1 John 4:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Guilt 

Did you know there are two types of guilt? The first type is healthy. This type makes you feel sorry after you’ve done something wrong. It gives you courage to confess and repent so you grow in the future. 

The second type is unhealthy. This type holds you back. It makes you feel horrible about the same thing repeatedly – even if you’ve already confessed it! It keeps you from having a healthy relationship with God, with others, and even with yourself. 

Genesis 42 takes place 20 years after the brothers sold Joseph into slavery. The famine has begun, so the brothers reluctantly travel to Egypt for food. They meet Joseph himself but didn’t recognize him! Joseph pretended to be a stranger. He wanted to test his brothers to see if they changed at all in the past 20 years. Joseph threw them all into prison, claiming that they must be spies from a foreign nation. 

The brothers are now in a pit of despair of their own. They are so distressed by their circumstances that they blame themselves and each other for what they did to Joseph over twenty years before! They believe their previous actions caused their current misfortune. 

Though the brothers should have felt guilt over what they did to Joseph, they crossed over into unhealthy guilt at some point in their lives. They were forgetting that they had a wonderful God who was able to forgive, restore, and heal. 

Holding on to guilt is not biblical. It’s a form of fear. Part of you believes that God is unable to fully forgive you of your shortcomings. You are not trusting in His power. 

When you have the love of Christ inside you, there is no reason to feel guilt after you confessed your sin to God and those you’ve hurt. God loves you and sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for your sins. He wants to free you from your shame, your past sins, and your guilt. 

Next time you struggle with recurring guilty thoughts, tell yourself that you will not give power to them. You live under the grace and love of Jesus Christ. He desires to free you from the guilt and sins of your past.

Scriptures: Genesis 43, Genesis 44, Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:23-24

A Repentant Heart 

Many people believe that God only forgives those who are worthy of forgiveness… people who never did “big” sins like murder, rape, genocide, etc. For example, when I was young, I really believed God was mean. I thought He punished or destroyed sinful people all the time without a second thought. 

As I got older, I realized that the Bible says we are all sinful. 

There is no one righteous; no, not one. – Romans 3:10

We read a couple of days ago that God finally rescued Joseph from his pit of despair. Joseph was faithful and respectful of God. He didn’t commit any “big” sins. Plus, he was a victim of cruelty. It’s easy to understand why God would forgive or bless him abundantly. But what about Joseph’s brothers? 

If you read more of Genesis, you’ll find out that Joseph’s brothers were adulterous, murderous, genocidal (yup!!), and incestuous. It’s hard to imagine that these guys could receive forgiveness! 

Hold up. No matter what someone has done in their lives, they can receive God’s forgiveness if they have a repentant heart. 

In today’s passages, notice how much the brothers have changed since the last time Joseph saw them! Twenty years prior, they were happy to sell Joseph into slavery. Now, they would risk becoming slaves themselves in order to protect their father’s new favorite son from slavery. They passed Joseph’s test! This shows that the brothers experienced repentance – a change of heart. 

In the end, Joseph forgave his brothers, stating this famous verse: 

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today. – Genesis 50:20

The brothers received forgiveness from God, even after everything they had done! God blessed them, restored them, and gave them descendants too numerous to count. 

God is not quick to punish us. Rather, He is very patient when we ask for forgiveness. God brings us out of the mire and helps us with our problems, even when we cause them ourselves!

Scriptures: Genesis 45, Genesis 46:26-34, John 10:10, Psalms 40:1-3

Out of the Mire 

Several years ago, I wrote a prayer to God during one of the worst trials of my life. I recently found the prayer tucked away and forgotten about in my journal. Thankfully, God read it and never forgot about it. 

Dear God,

I know You have a purpose for my life. Please help me grow closer to You even though I am going through a rough time, just like Joseph did. Let me see You guiding me through the storm. Help me remember the wonderful things You have done for my life and how You never change.

Looking back on it, that prayer was a call for help. I was praying Psalm 40:1-2: “I waited patiently for Yahweh. He turned to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay. He set my feet on a rock, and gave me a firm place to stand.”

Eventually, God answered my plea for help and brought me out of my pit of despair. 

From today’s passages, notice how awesome God is! He not only blessed Joseph; He brought Joseph’s entire family out of the mire! Look at what happens next: 

Joseph’s brothers and father moved to Egypt. They received the best piece of land from Pharaoh. They were saved from the famine. Jacob got to see Joseph again and lived with Joseph’s family for another seventeen years before he passed away. Afterward, Joseph and his brothers became the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Joseph’s story is truly beautiful. He went from a betrayed slave to a lowly inmate, to a powerful ruler. Though Satan was behind every bad thing in Joseph’s life, God was behind every good thing. The Bible says that Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but God comes to give life and peace. 

God brings people out of the mire. He did it for Joseph, He did it for Joseph’s family. He did it for me. He will do it for you. So, dear friend, draw near to God because He is the Creator of beautiful endings.