In Genesis 37, Joseph told his brothers he had a dream that they would bow down to him. This made them angry, so they threw him into a pit and later sold him into slavery.
It might have been better if he had kept the dream to himself! I have three children and eight grandchildren. If one of them were to tell me that I would one day bow down to them, I’d think about locking them up too!
Joseph had no idea that before his dream would come true, he would experience plenty of disappointment and heartache. Because we know that his story ends well—and just the way God revealed in Joseph’s dream—we also know that Joseph’s life wasn't about the destination. It was about the journey.
Joseph’s journey taught him about God’s sovereignty. In his journey, God orchestrated every detail to get Joseph and his family to Egypt. The things Joseph experienced, both good and bad, were all a part of God’s perfect plan. If Joseph hadn't been sold to the Egyptians—even though it was wrong of his brothers—his entire family would have died from starvation. The famine led his loved ones to Egypt where Joseph could provide for them.
Joseph’s journey also taught him about forgiveness. In Genesis 45:5, he forgave his brothers when he said, “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” What they meant for evil, God meant for good. Because Joseph knew God uses all things to accomplish His will, he forgave and continued to show his brothers favor even after their father passed away.
Joseph’s story is a great reminder that we cannot determine what God is up to by looking at our circumstances. Only God can use all things to make something beautiful out of our lives.
If I were to interview Joseph today, I believe he would tell me that he would choose to live both the good and the bad of his life over again, because Joseph learned that God uses all of our experiences to accomplish His will.
He is using all of yours. God is with you in your journey. Do you believe it?
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” Gen 37:5-7 (NIV)
