A Real Survivor

They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character (Psalm 105: 19 NLT emphasis added).

Joseph was highly esteemed and loved by his parents. As his father’s favorite, he was considered a child of promise, which seemed to be confirmed by dreams and visions.  While Joseph lived a life of comfort, his brothers were relegated to working in the harsh conditions of the field.

One day, one decision, one betrayal changed Joseph’s life forever. In one moment the child of promise was nothing more than a slave.  Everything was ripped away from him, his home, family and security. He saw evil face to face as the sting of his brothers’ betrayal came into full view.

Days turned to weeks, weeks into months, months into years and still there was no reprieve. All of the visions of his childhood seemed like a forgotten memory. Yet, in spite of every curve ball thrown his way, Joseph persevered. Instead of falling apart, he tried to make the best of the situations in front of him. Through the valley of broken dreams, his character proved to be stronger than the evil that surrounded him.

Joseph is the ultimate example of a survivor. By using his God given talents those around him were able to look past his title and see his ability. As a slave, he was promoted. As a prisoner, he was promoted. Wherever he went he made something out of nothing.

He was labeled a slave, falsely accused as a rapist, and imprisoned as a criminal. Although society placed these labels on him, Joseph did not accept them for himself. He continued to honor God with his life and worked in excellence.  What Joseph didn’t know was that through the unfairness of it all  God was testing and molding his character.

Like the verse above states, there is an appointed time for everything. Joseph had big dreams. In the midst of his suffering, these dreams seemed impossible. Although Joseph was overlooked and abandoned by everyone in his life, God never forgot him. When the appointed time came, in an instant, God changed the trajectory of Joseph’s life. He went from slave/criminal to a world leader as second in command in the strongest nation of the world.

Through adversity and injustice He was faithful. Those seventeen years of adversity were Joseph’s training ground. His heart was humbled and molded in such a way that he could be effective in a place of authority but still be empathetic to the needs of the people.

Joseph lived a long successful life. The memory of his suffering and injustice became a chapter, not the defining moment in the story of his life. The adversity he overcame turned out to be a stepping-stone into his future.