Last week Joseph was thriving in Potiphar’s house. He had been a good Steward in a bad situation and was rewarded by being elevated to serve Potiphar and his wife in their home. It was clear that God was still favoring Joseph. Why then, did he end up in a prison? Sometimes we do things that put us in a place we don’t want to ever be, but sometimes there are things completely out of our control that land us in a dark, uncomfortable place. For Joseph, it was Potiphar’s wife. She thought that Joseph was handsome, and she made a play for him. After he rejected her advances, she lied on him, and he was sent to the prison. It’s ironic that Joseph’s good character sent him there. If he had taken advantage of the situation, he may have stayed out of the prison, but in Genesis 39:9-10 Joseph said, “My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
Standing up for what you believe in may not always result in a fair outcome.
Once in the prison, Joseph did not waiver in his commitment to God and he continued to steward his gifts and talents. Even though he was now in prison, he continued to serve as unto the Lord. He interpreted dreams for the imprisoned Baker and the Cupbearer. Once restored to the palace, the Cupbearer forgot all about what Joseph had done for him in the prison. When we serve as unto the Lord, it doesn’t matter what people do or say about us. It doesn’t even matter if they forget the many things we have done for them. The point is to serve God as He is the only one who can truly reward us.
There was a time in my career as a lawyer when I was helping everyone around me, and I watched as they all got promoted. It seemed that no one remembered that I had helped with their cases or went to the jail on a Sunday afternoon to help prepare their clients for cross-examination. I felt like I was working and helping everybody, but no one was helping me or remembering me. I decided that my goal was to serve the people I was appointed to represent and do so as unto Lord. I would help my colleagues even though they weren’t always reciprocating. It would have been nice to have been acknowledged, but my real reward ultimately came from the Lord. It turns out that all of that work paid off. When it was time to apply to be appointed to the bench, people came out of the woodwork to sing my praises and proclaim how I was a person of character and integrity. It may have seemed like I was not appreciated, but I was glad that I continued to work hard, not for man but for God.
Presiding Action
Think about where you are on your success journey. Do you find yourself in what feels like a prison—isolated and feeling like you’re not accomplishing anything? If so, remember that the prison is a part of every success journey. It may have been something you’ve done or something completely out of your control that landed you in this hard place. The only thing that matters is what you will do while you’re there. Will you be bitter and give up on your dream? Or will you continue to serve, as unto the Lord? The prison—much like the pit—is only meant to last for a season, so don’t allow it become your state of being.