In a life of unexpected twists and turns, becoming a resilient person is key. It is our resilience that allows us to not only survive the challenges in our lives, but persevere and prosper through them. This seven day Bible plan overviews the life of Joseph through the lens of resilience, unpacking the ways in which he handled life’s hardships, and what we can learn from his response.
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Day 1
Scripture: Genesis 37
Hardships, pain, and challenges in this life are inevitable. How’s that for an intro?? But it’s true! We see it all around us; within the world (war, pandemics, disasters), in our state and country, within our families, and within our own hearts and lives. We also see it scattered over and over again throughout history, as the story of humanity too often tells the tale of pain and devastation.
The truth is, pain is part of being human. It’s part of the common ground that we all share. Therefore, what sets us apart from one another is not the presence of challenges within our lives, but how we respond to them. It is our response that determines not only the kind of life that we lead, but also in turn the kind of people we are, and are becoming.
This character quality of positively and productively overcoming and working through hardship is called resilience, and it’s something we can all grow in. Resilient people are able to better bounce back from life’s challenges, moving forward and adapting to all that life has for them: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Over the next seven devotionals, we are going to look at the life of Joseph in the Bible – specifically through the lens of resilience, picking up seven foundational keys along the way. As you’re reading the daily passages, and walking through his remarkable life, ask yourself these few strategic questions:
What do I learn about God through this story? What do I learn about Joseph? What do I learn about resilience? How can I apply this to my life?
Setting the Scene
We are going to be starting Joseph’s story in Genesis 37. Joseph was the favorite son (yep, he made it super known that he had a favorite son) of a man named Jacob (who is often referred to as Israel in these passages). Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and Sarah, two very important people in the early books of the Bible. When he was younger, Jacob worked for his uncle Laban. In fact, he worked for seven years in exchange for his daughter Rachel (whom he was in love with, and wanted to marry). However, when the time came for them to actually get married, things became a little weird and tricky and his uncle Laban tricked him into marrying his oldest daughter Leah instead (how’s that for sketchy family dynamics?). And so, to make a long (and really good!) story short, Jacob eventually married Rachel as well (after another seven years of work), and went on to love his son Joseph the best because (at this point in the story) he was the only son he had with Rachel. Jacob had twelve sons, but the other eleven were his and Leah’s.
To show his obvious favoritism, Jacob gave Joseph a special “ornate robe” (there’s a whole musical about it), which – on top of everything else – made his brothers hate him…and that is where we enter the story for this week. As you are reading today’s particular passage, ask yourself these questions:
What were the challenges in Joseph’s life? To what degree (if any) were they self-inflicted?
Similarly, what challenges are you facing in your life right now? It may help you to write them down, and reflect on them throughout these seven devotions.
Day 2
Scripture: Genesis 39
The end of yesterday’s passage landed Joseph in a terrible position: he had been sold as a slave, by his own family! He went from being his father’s favorite son, to Potiphar’s slave.
Can you imagine being Joseph in this moment? How do you even process that kind of life change? That depth of grief and anger? On all accounts, the life that Joseph had always known was over, and in many ways it simply couldn’t get worse. He had zero control over his circumstances, and I’m sure he was tempted to despair.
But that’s not the end of the story because of five little words that we find in the second verse of today’s passages: “the LORD was with Joseph.”
The LORD was with Joseph and therefore (the verse continues) everything he did prospered. The worst of the worst situations (slavery! Sold by your family!) became a tale of success, favour, prosperity, and blessing. We go from a great low to a great high!
But again (and unfortunately this time), that’s not the end of the story, because we still have the second half of this chapter. And this is where we dig deep into the theme of resilience.
Joseph’s master’s wife (how’s that for a mouthful) persistently tempts and urges Joseph to sin. But he refuses, holding firmly to today’s resilience key: flee from temptation.
Later on in the Bible, in the book of Luke, we read about a time when one of His disciples asked Jesus how to pray and we come to what has been known ever since as the Lord’s prayer. It reads like this:
“Father,
Hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
Lead us not into temptation! Pray this over yourself today (and everyday!). A tremendous part of becoming a resilient person is to flee from temptation, just as we see Joseph doing. This is something we can do because the Lord is with us. It’s also important to note that fleeing is an active verb. You don’t flee accidentally, or subtly. It takes intention, it takes a decision, and it takes action. We must intentionally decide to flee from the temptation(s) that surround us.
Joseph had no control over his circumstances, but he had every control over his response to them – as do we.
Our passage ends today with Joseph being falsely accused (despite his fleeing!), and thrown into prison. But then, he’s put in charge of the prisoners! Why? Because once again “the LORD was with Joseph”.
A great low, to a great high, back into the pits again (through no fault of his own!), and then back once more to a high point. This chapter has it all! But isn’t that a little like life sometimes?
As you read today, ask yourself the following questions: How does resilience play out in this passage? What did fleeing from temptation look like for Joseph? What are the unhelpful temptations that are in your life right now? What would it look like to actively flee from those things? What does it mean that the LORD was with Joseph? What does it mean that the LORD is with you?
Day 3
Scriptures: Genesis 40, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Galatians 5:22-25
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’.
Day 4
Scriptures: Genesis 41, Micah 6:8
Sold into slavery, falsely imprisoned, forgotten about with no end in sight (for two years!), and then Pharaoh (the Pharaoh) has a dream.
In today’s passage, Genesis 41, we read the details of Pharaoh’s two dreams. Nobody in all the land could interpret them. This mystery jogs the memory of the cupbearer (about time!) and all of a sudden Joseph is freed from his cell and finds himself in front of Egypt’s King.
In verse 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it” and in response, in verse 16, Joseph says “I cannot do it.. but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
If Joseph was ever to boast of his skills, fudge the truth, or claim his gifts as his own, now would be the time to do it! He stands before a man who has the power to end his life! Or save it! Or free him from prison! Or chop off his head! And yet, Joseph gives God the credit He is due, and stands firm within today’s key to building a life of resilience: humility.
Humility is the absence of pride or arrogance. It’s having a modest view of your own self importance. It is, as C.S. Lewis so eloquently put it:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
Because of his humble response, and in an incredible twist of circumstances, Joseph goes from being in prison to being second-in-command over the entire land of Egypt. In one swift move he traded his chains for chariots, and went from rags to robes. He victoriously walked the fine line between being confident in the power of God, but humble in his own self.
Similarly, our circumstances in this life can change so quickly, and Joseph teaches us so many valuable lessons here: give God the glory, for it is His. Stand in humility, as well as in His power.
Once again, we often do not choose our circumstances, but we always have the choice of our response and we become resilient people when we flee from temptation, practice patience, and walk in humility with God.
As you read today’s passages, ask yourself the following key questions: How do I see the theme of resilience play out? What does humility look like in this passage? What are the gifts that God has given me? How can I use those gifts for His glory?
Day 5
Scriptures: Genesis 42:1-6, Genesis 43:15-34, Genesis 45:1-2
Just as the LORD told Joseph, there was a great famine in the land. There was not enough food and people were starving. Many traveled great distances to find anything to eat, and feed their families.
In chapters 42-45, we read that this was also the case for Joseph’s brothers and father – which brings us full circle. Having no idea about what has happened to Joseph in the years since they have seen him, his brothers travel to Egypt in search of food and come face-to-face with Joseph once again (although, at first, they do not recognize him).
A lot happens within these passages, and Joseph sees his brothers several times. He learns that he has a full-brother (Benjamin), and that his father is alive and well. At several points, he is overcome with emotions. In fact, throughout this whole exchange we see some big emotions from everyone involved:
Regret (42:22)
Weeping (42:24, 43:30)
Sinking hearts (42:28)
Fright (42:35, 43:18)
Bereavement (43:14)
Being deeply moved (43:30), among others!
Emotions are not the enemy, but neither should they be our only guide. The Bible has a lot to say about them. For example:
“..do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” – Ephesians 4:26-27
“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” – Proverbs 29:11
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” – Proverbs 16:32
And thus, today’s key to resilience is emotional maturity. We must learn to simultaneously embrace (and not stuff) our emotions, at the same time as not being ruled by them.
Is this something you are naturally good at, or is it an area in which you need to grow? How is emotional maturity modelled in your family, in a healthy way, or in an unhealthy way?
Like everything, our emotions must come under the Lordship of Jesus. We must process our emotions with God, but also make sure they submit to the capital ‘T’, Truth of who God is, and who we are in light of Him. As you read today’s passages, look for the emotion. How do the people involved deal with their emotions? Do they react in a healthy way, or not? What can we learn from their responses?
Let’s ask the Lord for wisdom in how to add emotional maturity to our list of resilience keys. We must become people who flee from temptation, practice patience, walk in humility, and grow in emotional maturity.
Day 6
Scriptures: Genesis 45:3-28, Colossians 3:12-14, Luke 6:37-38
As we saw at the end of yesterday’s passage, Joseph is overcome with emotion. So much so that his loud weeping becomes a point of gossip and conversation (for a refresher, see Genesis 45:2). In many ways, Joseph’s story comes to a head within today’s passage.
Here’s a recap thus far: Joseph was sold into slavery by his own family (but to be fair, they were going to kill him, and so I guess that’s a better alternative??). He was falsely accused, and then imprisoned for several years. And yet the LORD had used him in mighty ways! The LORD had given Joseph gifts, and used them to save a generation of people from starvation. Plus, Joseph was put in great positions of power and authority. He was second in command, only to Pharaoh himself. Time and time again we see that because the LORD was with him, he had the ability to overcome some truly terrible circumstances, displaying great resilience through his fleeing of temptation, his practice of patience, his humility, and his emotionally mature response to incredibly charged and difficult circumstances. Everything thus far has led up to today’s chapter, where Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers.
Joseph’s emotional maturity is on full display in Chapter 45. He reveals his true identity and his brothers stand there terrified. And for good reason! We shouldn’t overlook the fact that these were the very people, the very family, that sold Joseph in the first place! How would you feel? Wouldn’t a part of you (however big or small) seek revenge? Justice? Vengeance? They had a reason to be terrified! And yet, we see no hint of this in Joseph. Instead, we see a big God picture (perspective!) and we see a big God key (forgiveness!). We can learn a lot from Joseph here: having a God perspective of our lives changes everything, and leading with forgiveness opens us up not only to become truly resilient people, but those who are in tune with the very heart of God.
Within this passage, Joseph lays out his perspective. It was because they had sold him into slavery that he had the opportunity to save their lives. It was God’s plan all along. Joseph was able to rest in this perspective, letting go of any resentment. How? Because He trusted the Lord. No matter his circumstances, he believed the Lord was in charge and had better and bigger things in mind. It was from this place that he was able to forgive his brothers, and from his forgiveness, move on and into a relationship with them.
Forgiveness is a big topic within the Bible, and it has a lot to say! Check out the passages in today’s reading, and while doing so ask yourself the questions:
What are the results of forgiveness? What are the results of unforgiveness? Why should I be a person who forgives? What does this look like in my life?
We forgive because the Lord has first forgiven us. It is another part of the Lord’s prayer that we looked at on Day 2:
“Forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”
Forgiveness frees our hearts from bitterness and allows us to move forward as resilient people. We see this play itself out in the example of Joseph. He displayed and grew in resilience through fleeing temptation, practicing patience, walking in humility, expressing emotional maturity, and forgiving those who hurt him. Let us endeavour to be people who do the same.
Day 7
Scriptures: Genesis 50, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
In the rest of Joseph’s story, including today’s passages, Jacob and his whole extended family (66 people!) come to Egypt and are reunited with one another. Pharaoh allows them to make a home in the best part of the land, and they live there for 17 years.
Meanwhile, because the famine continues and as part of his job, Joseph continues to provide food for those living within the whole region. First, they buy it with money, and then in exchange for livestock, and eventually their land.
When Jacob was 147 years old, he longed to go back to his homeland to die and be buried alongside his family. He became ill, and so Joseph brought his two sons – Manasseh and Ephraim – to him, to be blessed. After doing so, Jacob speaks to each one of his sons, telling them what was going to happen, and then he passes away.
This brings us up to speed for today’s passage starting in Genesis chapter 50. Jacob has died, and the scripture begins with his embalming and seventy day period or mourning (as was the custom of the day). In the very first verse we see Joseph throwing himself over his Father, weeping and kissing him. In verse 10 we see the entire extended group lamenting, loudly and bitterly, followed by another week-long period of mourning. This kind of display – of negative, raw emotion – would be very uncomfortable to witness in our modern, Western, world. Unfortunately, this kind of very real response would most likely be viewed as weak, inappropriate, or immature. Why do you think that is?
It seems that Joseph’s family understood a fundamental lesson of life so much better than we do in our world today: life has seasons. There is a famous passage in the book of Ecclesiastes that talks about this. It says:
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
The Word of God and the world around us teach us that life has its seasons. We see it in the flowers and the weather, and we see it in the world and our lives. In this Chapter, Joseph and his extended family take their season to mourn. They understand that it won’t be forever, but it’s what they need to do right now. They understand and embrace its importance.
This kind of perspective, that life is seasonal, is key to growing in resilience. It helps us to unlock ourselves from fatalistic thinking, especially when things are not good, or not going according to plan. When we have the ability to view life for what it is – seasonal, we can respond accordingly, think positively, and take things as they come.
The last resilience principle we see within the life of Joseph is simply trusting God. When Jacob dies, his brothers once again become frightened of him. They are scared of what Joseph will do to them now that their father is gone. But once again, Joseph does not retaliate or seek revenge, but instead, he makes it clear that God is in charge, and that he trusts Him. He even goes one step further, providing for them and speaking kindly to them (the beautiful fruit of true forgiveness!)
Twice, when Joseph himself is about to die, he assures his brothers “but God will surely come to your aid.” Joseph trusts God wholeheartedly, in the good times and in the terrible times. In all the seasons of life, his eyes are firmly on God and His goodness. It is this perspective that allows him to move past adversity, and prosper through it.
And with that, we have walked through the life of Joseph through the lens of resilience! There is so much that we can learn from him. No matter what life throws in our direction, we too can become resilient people. When we flee from temptation, practice patience, walk in humility, express emotional maturity, forgive those who hurt us, trust God and see life as seasonal, our resilience will grow as will our godliness.