Read 1 Peter 5:10 (TPT) And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in his eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, he will set you firmly in place and build you up.
Genesis 41:33-44 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his
neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”
Joseph had now endured thirteen long years of slavery, servitude, and imprisonment. Scripture doesn’t give us all the nitty gritty details, but I imagine the trip into Egypt with Midianite merchants was not pleasant. His arrival must have been fraught with fear and pain. His early days in Potiphar’s house must have been hard and ugly. Prison… well in ancient cultures, not at all a pleasant place.
But remember, God has made a promise and God ALWAYS keeps His promises. We now see Joseph being placed in a situation where people will be bowing to him and showing him great esteem, just as the dreams foretold. Who could have expected it thirteen years before this moment, ten years before, a year prior. Yet here was slave and prisoner Joseph, now second in authority to the most powerful nation at that time. Second to only Pharaoh himself. God promised – a promise amazingly fulfilled!
Was God idle while Joseph suffered without ever knowing He would bless him through the gratitude of Pharaoh? Not at all, God was allowing Joseph to experience the responsibilities of running smaller institutions. An important man’s home, even a prison needed someone for God to work through. God grew Joseph’s knowledge, talents, and abilities because God had a much bigger institution for him to run – Egypt itself.
God is not idle in our lives either and He wants to grow us for a kingdom so much more important than Egypt’s: Christ’s kingdom. God has made some rather amazing promises to you in 1 Peter. He calls you to share in His eternal glory in Christ. He will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. He will set you firmly in place and build you up. Whether it takes thirteen years, or one hundred and thirteen years, He is surely preparing you. He promises.
