This is a peculiar sentence to me: “While Joseph was in prison, God was with him.”
Now it’s peculiar to me because Joseph was fasely accused and did not deserve prison. My idea of God being with me would be, “God, jail break tonight. You and I. Use your Almightiness to get us the heck out of here. ”
And often when we find ourselves in difficult places, uncomfortable situations, unexpected detours and our cry is “Lord use your almightiness to deliver me, to rescue me, to make me comfortable TODAY!”
But what God is showing me is that He is in the journey. We focus on the destination, but God wants us to learn to enjoy the car ride. Enjoy the beautiful sunshine days, the free-flowing traffic, the stops for lunch as well as the traffic jams, the detours, and the heavy rains. He is in it all.
And all of it is preparing you for your destination. All of it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. God wants to prosper you where you are as He prepares you for where you are going.
Often what we see as a detour is actually God directing us to our destiny.
Moses prospered in a field and was prepared to lead a nation out of captivity. Moses’ detour as Shepherd, lead him to encounter the burning bush.
Joseph prospered as a slave and prisoner and was prepared to lead a nation through one of worst droughts ever. Joseph’s detour in prison, lead to being introduced to the king.
David prospered in a cave and was prepared to be the best King in history. David’s detour in the cave, lead to him discovering the best warriors for battle.
Paul prospered in prison and was prepared to write two-thirds of New Testament. While a prisoner, Paul was shipwrecked, which led to an entire island’s salvation.
My brothers and sisters, take heart. Whether you are in a pit or the palace God is with you today. You can prosper where you are. Yes, God is leading you to a destination but enjoy the ride and all it’s detours along the way. God is with you in your difficult season.
“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.”
Genesis 39:20-21 NIV