Bored and isolated Joseph sat in his prison cell struggling with the thoughts bombarding his mind. “No one loves me.” “It’s their fault I’m here.” “Everyone has abandoned me.” Joseph was not only living in a physical prison, but living in a prison in his mind.
Wait a minute…
Who is Joseph?
Why is he in prison?
Joseph along with his brothers are the original ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. Are you familiar with the coat of many colors? That coat belonged to Joseph.
His story begins in Genesis chapters 37 & 39. Joseph was his father’s favorite and his brothers were jealous! Acting spitefully, they first threw him into a pit. Then sold him to passing merchants who dragged him to Egypt. There he was purchased as Potipher’s slave.
Noticing that everything Joseph touched prospered, Potipher promoted him as overseer of the household. But someone else noticed him too: Potipher’s wife. Making advances towards Joseph, he rebuffed her. Furious, she lied about his advances landing Jospeh in prison.
So now we are back to the prison cell…
Wrongfully imprisoned, Joseph was highly susceptible to imprisoning thoughts.
Rejected?
After his brother’s horrendous treatment, why wouldn’t he think that he was rejected?
Unforgiveness?
His brothers started this whole mess.
Blaming them and Potipher’s wife made Joseph a prime candidate for unforgiveness.
Abandoned?
Stuck in a cell, it must have seemed like everyone had abandoned him, perhaps even God.
Although Joseph was a man of faith, even people with faith can struggle. Can’t you imagine Joseph struggling with imprisoning thoughts? Who wouldn’t? After all, Joseph was only human.
ESCAPE!!
We too are only human. Have you ever felt imprisoned by thoughts of rejection, abandonment or unforgiveness? How did Joseph escape and how can we?
KNOW GOD’S TRUTH
God’s words are truth, (John 17:17). God loves each and every one of us no matter what anyone says about us. And no matter how we think of ourselves. So, what do God’s words show us about abandonment, rejection and unforgiveness?
REMEMBERED NOT ABANDONED!
How did Joseph escape prison? Did he sneak out in the middle of the night? No! God gave Joseph an interpretation of the king’s dream which brought him freedom. From the pit to his release from prison, God remembered Joseph. He never forgot or abandoned Joseph. Nor does He forget or abandon us.
Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely, they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me,
Isaiah 49:15-16
Just as God had a plan for Jospeh, He has one for us even when it takes a while for it to be revealed.
“For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the Lord,
“Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future,
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
LOVED NOT REJECTED!
Joseph may have felt rejected by his brothers, but God never rejected him. Neither God or Jesus rejects us either. They love us and want to live with us eternally.
Who desires all people to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth,
1 Timothy 2:4
Thoughts of rejection make us doubt our own self-worth, forgetting who God lovingly created us to be. We are loved. God and His Son, Jesus, want us to love ourselves and see ourselves through the loving truth of God’s word.
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you,”
Jeremiah 31:3
FORGIVE NOT UNFORGIVENESS
Despite someone negatively impacting our situation, God can redeem it and use it all for good. That probably seemed impossible to Joseph. After all, it was years from his pit experience to the fulfillment of God’s plan.
But God even uses the time we wait for good.
He certainly did in Joseph’s life. Slavery brought Joseph to Egypt. Prison connected him to the royal staff. Interpreting their dreams brought him to the king’s attention. By interpreting the king’s dream, Joseph was elevated to a position where he saved Egypt and his family from starvation. Wow! What a plan God had for Joseph.
Throughout the bad, God developed Joseph’s character to fulfill His plan for Joseph’s life including changing his heart to forgive. When we ask, we are forgiven and God wants us to forgive too, (1 John 1:9). Speaking to his brothers Joseph said;
“But as for you, you meant evil against me;
but God meant it for good,
in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
Genesis 50: 20
Nothing is wasted with God.
Sometimes, we need time for our hearts to change and our character to develop in order to fulfill God’s plan for us. Forgiveness is an important step to moving forward. When we forgive, in faith we are trusting that God will work even our bad situation for good, (Romans 8:28).
THROUGH JESUS
WE ARE SET FREE
FROM THE PRISON IN OUR MIND
Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed,
John 8:36
REFLECTION
Do you need to escape from the prison in your mind?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write John 8:36 and say it aloud, strengthen my faith to believe in Your love for me, Your plan for me and to forgive. In Jesus name. Amen.
FAITH IN JESUS SETS US FREE
Comment!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
Photo Egypt, Katie Bernotsky
Photo dog, Bino
Photo Joseph, kar3nt
