In The Midst of a Sour Deal

Genesis 39:2, "The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master."

I found myself frustrated today over a situation that I was facing. Seeing that my anger was increasing yet trying to handle things in a professional way seemed anything but simple. I found myself realizing that I am in the midst of a sour deal.

Everything in me at this moment wants to have a gripe session and tell the world exactly what I'm going through, but that may not be the best way to go about this situation. However, I do want to share with you what God reminded me of to help me get through the day.

He reminded me of Joseph. A little bit of a back story on Joseph is this:

Joseph had a lot of brothers, but he was his father's favorite son. He had dreams (literal dreams), and his brothers hated him for the dreams he had. One day, his brothers thought about killing him, but instead of killing him, they sold him to Ishmaelite traders. From these traders, he then was sold to Potiphar who was an officer of Pharaoh. God showed Joseph favor, but Joseph still went through difficulties. Potiphar's wife lied about Joseph which landed him in prison for a crime he didn't commit. While in prison, two people (a chief cup-bearer and a chief baker) asked him to interpret their dreams. Joseph gave God the credit for being the One to interpret dreams, and God enabled him to know what their dreams meant. The only request Joseph had was that the chief cup-bearer would remember him and mention him to Pharaoh so he might be let out of prison. Sadly, it was two years later before Joseph was mentioned to Pharaoh.

I summed up many chapters in a paragraph, but you get the picture. Does this not look like a sour deal?

Here is someone who has been abandoned by their family, sold to traders, lied about and imprisoned, and seemingly forgotten.

There have been many times that I've thought about Joseph and his life. I cannot even imagine going through the things he went through. What we see through the chapters of his story, though, is this: "The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed." (See Genesis 39:23).

As I mentioned above, there is a situation I am facing that is a sour deal. It's not fair. I don't deserve the treatment I'm receiving, and quite honestly, I want to quit. I want to throw my hands up in the air, walk out, and say, "I deserve better than this, and I refuse to be treated like this."

In order to be responsible, I can't quit... not yet. There is an order I need to follow, and for at least a little longer I have to hang in there. It's not okay, and things can't keep happening the way they are, but there is one truth from this story that pertains to my life and situation just as much as it did in Joseph's story. That truth is this: God is with me and is causing everything I do to succeed.

No matter how unfair people are to me... no matter how unjust my circumstances are... God is my vindicator. He has provided for me in the midst of that provision not adding up mathematically. He has shown me favor even in the midst of an ugly atmosphere. He has blessed me, and no matter what others try to do to harm me, He causes those things to work for my good.

At the end of Joseph's story, there is a verse that is one of my favorite verses of all time. That verse is Genesis 50:20. It says, "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."

Have you ever been in a position that initially seemed anything but God-ordained?

That's where I'm at. How could God be using this whole situation for anything good? Right now all it seems like is unfair, unbelievable, and unacceptable. If I'll keep holding onto God, though, I believe this whole thing can be turned into something that has a God-ordained purpose.

My job is to praise God as much in the prison as I would in the palace. Eventually, Joseph was promoted from the prison to the palace. Sometimes I wonder, though, if that would've been the case had he not praised God in the prison cells.

If you're in the midst of a sour deal, you're not alone. Run to God tonight and follow where He leads whether that means staying still or moving on. Whether in the prison or in the palace, praise God that He is with you. What was intended to harm you, God is using for good.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Tonight I feel like I've been dealt a sour deal. I feel like I'm in an unfair situation just as Joseph was, and it seems as if this unfair situation is going to win. However, I know that my Redeemer lives. You are my vindicator when I am wronged. You are bigger than my giants. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. Lord, I want out tonight. I'm tired and really feel like quitting. If I'm not supposed to quit, make things right for me. If I am supposed to quit, show me where I'm supposed to step next. Help! Regardless of my circumstances, help me handle things in a way that makes You proud. In Jesus' Name.

Amen.