PRESENCE IN THE PIT
So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph's brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
Genesis 37:28 (NLT)
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people."
Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
We all have moments when life takes a nosedive into the pit. You're betrayed by a friend, passed over for a promotion, or left out of a plan. It's in these dark moments that we wonder: Where is God? This was certainly the case for Joseph, who found himself betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery and forgotten in a foreign land. From the bottom of the cistern, it surely seemed like his life was over. But God was working, even in the pit.
Corrie ten Boom, a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, famously said, There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still. She experienced unimaginable suffering, yet she clung to the belief that God's presence could reach her, even in her darkest moments. Like Joseph, Corrie's story is one of God's redemptive power. Her life, like Joseph's, is a testimony that even in the pits of despair, God shows up.
In Genesis 37, Joseph is pulled from the pit and sold into slavery. It's hard to see God in that moment. But as we follow Joseph's journey, we see that God was present every step of the way, working behind the scenes. Years later, after rising to power in Egypt, Joseph is able to say to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good" (Genesis 50:20). The pit was part of God's plan to bring about a greater good, not just for Joseph, but for an entire nation.
We may not understand why we end up in life's pits, but we can trust that God is present and working through them.
APPLICATION: When you find yourself in a pit of difficulty, reflect on Joseph's story. It can be easy to focus on the betrayal or hardship, but trust that God is working even when you can't see it. Take time today to pray and ask God to reveal His presence to you in your circumstances. What might He be orchestrating in your life for a greater good? Trust that no pit is too deep for His love and redemption to reach.
PRAYER: God help me to trust and believe that You are always working, even when hope seems lost. You are sovereign and are working all things for my good and Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?