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Your circumstances do not necessarily correlate to God’s removed blessing. God is opposed to the proud [even proud believers] but gives grace to the humble, and God does exalt in His proper timing (cf. 1 Peter 5:5-6). But does this mean every time you are brought circumstantially low that God has opposed you? No. Does God’s grace and blessing in your life mean health, wealth, happiness, and promotion? Again, no. We know this to be true because God’s Word shows us. Usually, the biblical character Job is the one who comes to mind. This past Sunday, we saw this was also true in the life of Joseph.

 

Joseph was brought low in his circumstances. He was sold into slavery. As if things couldn’t get any worse, he was falsely accused by Potipher’s wife and then he was thrown into prison. As we learned about this in Genesis 39, we also read “the LORD was with Joseph” and “the LORD caused all that he did to succeed” and other similar phrases numerous times. The reader is supposed to take notice that God made Joseph flourish even when Joseph was brought continually lower.

 

Injustice after injustice, Joseph was the recipient of God’s favor and success. But also look at the kind of man Joseph was. He was a man of God’s Word. He refused the strongest temptations by knowing what God deemed to be wickedness and sin.

 

Have you faced injustice? Have you faced temptation to sin? Of course you have. We live in a sin-cursed world with sin-filled people. The bigger question to ponder though…what was your response? Did you respond in faithful obedience? Was your response Word-centered/Word-filled?

 

When we face injustice or temptation, we obey His Word no matter what. And as Pastor Danny said, we can then stand amazed in the midst of God’s sovereign care.