Hello beloved child of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace.
As for me, I’m fine thanks to Him.
I know my title is quite weird but I promise I’m going somewhere with this.
Last week we talked about Joseph and it looks like we’re not done talking about him. I was recently reading Joseph’s story in Genesis and I noticed something so interesting.
Genesis 39:20-23 GNB
and had Joseph arrested and put in the prison where the king’s prisoners were kept, and there he stayed. But the LORD was with Joseph and blessed him, so that the jailer was pleased with him. He put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and made him responsible for everything that was done in the prison. The jailer did not have to look after anything for which Joseph was responsible, because the LORD was with Joseph and made him succeed in everything he did.
Genesis 40:1-8 GNB
Some time later the king of Egypt’s wine steward and his chief baker offended the king. He was angry with these two officials and put them in prison in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same place where Joseph was being kept. They spent a long time in prison, and the captain assigned Joseph as their servant. One night there in prison the wine steward and the chief baker each had a dream, and the dreams had different meanings. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were upset. He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?” They answered, “Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean.” “It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams,” Joseph said. “Tell me your dreams.”
Okay, let’s put all this story in context. Joseph was loved by his father and his brothers were jealous of him, as such they sold him into slavery. Even as a slave, God’s favour was upon him, but the wife of his master tried to convince him to have sex with her and because he kept refusing she accused him of trying to rape her. This caused his master to throw him in prison, but even in prison God’s favour was upon him and the jailer put him in charge.
If I were Joseph (I’m trying to be honest), If I were Joseph I would be depressed due to all those events. I would be like “I don’t want to talk to anyone and I don’t want to have anything to do with anyone”
I’m the type of person who withdraws when I’m going through difficult situations, so, if I were Joseph I would be thinking just about myself and even if I were in charge of the prison I would just do my job and go back to my individual space to be alone and to focus only on what was done to me.
I was extremely surprised to read the verses above and to realize that Joseph noticed that the chief baker and the wine steward (chief cupbearer) were upset . He didn’t just notice, he also took time to ask “Why do you look so worried today?”
At times I see someone crying, at times I notice that they’re not feeling fine but I stop and think “I’m not feeling fine either” and I go on with my life. I know this doesn’t look very “Christian” but I’ve got to be honest.
At times I feel like I’m bleeding so much and so broken that I can’t afford to try to help anyone, I feel like I first have to fix myself and my situation.
However, we can all learn a lot from Joseph. Though he was in a difficult situation, though he could have chosen to be focused inwards, he took time to pay attention to others and to care about them.
Though he could have been bitter because his situation wasn’t fair, he chose to notice the pain of others, to ask, and to offer to help them.
Genesis 40:8-22 GNB
They answered, “Each of us had a dream, and there is no one here to explain what the dreams mean.” “It is God who gives the ability to interpret dreams,” Joseph said. “Tell me your dreams.” So the wine steward said, “In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me with three branches on it. As soon as the leaves came out, the blossoms appeared, and the grapes ripened. I was holding the king’s cup; so I took the grapes and squeezed them into the cup and gave it to him.” Joseph said, “This is what it means: the three branches are three days. In three days the king will release you, pardon you, and restore you to your position. You will give him his cup as you did before when you were his wine steward. But please remember me when everything is going well for you, and please be kind enough to mention me to the king and help me to get out of this prison. After all, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here in Egypt I didn’t do anything to deserve being put in prison.” When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the wine steward’s dream was favourable, he said to Joseph, “I had a dream too; I was carrying three bread baskets on my head. In the top basket there were all kinds of pastries for the king, and the birds were eating them.” Joseph answered, “This is what it means: the three baskets are three days. In three days the king will release you — and have your head cut off! Then he will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat your flesh.” On his birthday three days later the king gave a banquet for all his officials; he released his wine steward and his chief baker and brought them before his officials. He restored the wine steward to his former position, but he executed the chief baker. It all happened just as Joseph had said.
There are people around us who are bleeding inside, they are really suffering. They’re having nightmares, they’re having panic attacks, they’re having financial issues, they are brokenhearted, they want to die, etc. and God sent you there not against you but because He knew that you would be the solution to that person’s problem.
I know that you’re also having issues, God knows that you’re also having issues but take a look at this.
Genesis 41:8-14 NIV
In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
If Joseph had not asked what was wrong and offered to help, he wouldn’t have known their dreams, he wouldn’t have interpreted them, and the chief cupbearer would never have told Pharaoh about Joseph two years later.
I guess you know the whole story of Joseph. How God uses him to have Pharaoh the interpretation to his dreams, how Pharaoh puts Egypt under Joseph’s care and how Joseph provided for his father and his siblings in Egypt. It all started with him noticing, asking and offering to help.
Imagine what would have happened if Joseph had not notice, asked and offered to help
- Pharaoh wouldn’t have known the interpretation to his dreams
- The seven years of famine would have come and Egypt would have been unprepared
- Joseph would never have had a position of authority in Egypt
- Joseph’s father and siblings would probably have suffered extremely from the famine
- Joseph wouldn’t have met his father and his siblings again.
What’s the point to all this?
Your breakthrough may actually be on the other side of your compassion
The way God will change your difficult situation may actually come from you helping someone in their own difficult situation
If you’re taking care of God’s things He will take care of yourself
Matthew 6:33 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
So, I know you’re probably going through some stuff too, and God knows that you’re probably having lots of issues but if you would take time to shift your focus away from you, and to pay attention to others and to see how you can help them not only are you going to feel refreshed by serving them, but you’ll also be playing your part in God’s plan for you.
I remember the first time I was supposed to serve for LOVE WEEK under my church Elevation Church. I heard Pastor Holly Furtick say something like “You may not always feel like serving, but once you’re done serving you feel refreshed” and that’s actually what I experience each time I serve for LOVE WEEK, I feel refreshed.
Perhaps there’s someone near you who’s struggling with depression, who attempted suicide yesterday, who’s going through a painful divorce, who’s having family issues, and though they don’t come up to you to tell you what’s going on, if you pay attention you’ll see it on their face that they’re feeling sad, you’ll see it on their social media posts that they’re in great pain, you’ll see it on their hands when they practiced self-harm.
It’s up to you, to go up to them and to ask . If you can do it face to face do it, if you can write to them only on social media please do it.
It’s not because they’re a Christian who’s going to your church and who’s very active that they cannot be going through depression or hard times. It’s not because it’s your Pastor or your boss that they have a shield against depression. Anyone can suffer from anxiety, depression etc.
Take some time to ask, and to offer help.
- Hey are you alright?
- Can I please pray for you?
- Do you need to talk?
- Why do you look sad?
- How can I help you?
You are the answer to someone’s prayers, but it’s up to you to step into this calling.
It probably didn’t look spectacular for Joseph to ask, he didn’t know the result of it on the long run, but he did it.
Let’s step into our calling and serve others around us even though we haven’t figured everything out on our side yet.
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, I confess there were moments where I was so focused on myself that I didn’t notice others who were in pain, or I noticed but I chose not to do anything about it because I was looking just at myself. Lord from this day forward, open my eyes to see the people around me who are in pain, and to reach out to them to help them out in Your Name. Please Lord help me to serve the people who are in need and in pain, trusting You to take care of my own needs and my own pain, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen
It’s Now Your Turn
This week open your eyes to notice the pain of others, reach out to them and offer to pray for them and to help the
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Thank you for reading
Invitation
Click here if you’re looking for a church. I recommend Elevation Church to you. A wonderful Christ-centered Church in which you aren’t limited by your location and in which you can see what God can do through you. We’re in a series right now called FLIP THE FLOW, you are highly invited.
God loves you so much
God bless you
Victoria Eyogm.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog post please subscribe to my Newsletter so as not to miss any new post.
Also, please consider sharing this blog post on all your social media accounts.
Thank you for reading
Invitation
Click here if you’re looking for a church. I recommend Elevation Church to you. A wonderful Christ-centered Church in which you aren’t limited by your location and in which you can see what God can do through you. We’re in a series right now called FLIP THE FLOW, you are highly invited.
God loves you so much
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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