Genesis

The use of skilled labor to care for the day to day events of a household and for the building and maintenance of society proved a fertile ground for Joseph to demonstrate his God-given talents. This environment in general shows God's providence but still required Joseph's willingness to serve God.

All too often we don't see God's providence in our lives until much later. We should try to look for God's influence in our day to day activities. This will serve to strengthen our faith.

Through God's divine purpose, Joseph was gifted with the abilities to effectively run Potiphar's household. Potiphar's wife is attracted to him and desires to have a sexual relationship with him. Joseph refuses both for the sin involved. He is falsely accused by her of rape and winds up in prison.

Joseph demonstrates faithfulness, not only to his role as Potiphar's servant, but more so, as a servant of God. As a result, God continues to show favor upon Joseph, even in prison. The jailer recognizes Joseph's skills and places him in a favored position.

The intent of this question is to show how God's providence continues even in difficult times.

Why would God not release Joseph from jail immediately?

There could be many reasons why God did not release Joseph immediately. For example, perhaps God wished to bring all the elements together to create the perfect environment for Joseph to bring about God's will. Additionally, we should remember as Paul teaches us in II Corinthians 12:1-10 that God works best through our weaknesses. God was able to demonstrate it was His power and not Joseph's that brought about the events of Joseph's rise to his position in Pharaoh's court.

How can we use Joseph's example to continue to serve God in times of trial?

All of us go through periods of trial, some extreme while some are simply daily challenges. Regardless of the depth and scope, Joseph teaches us about faithfulness. He praised God in both good and hard times. We can look for opportunities to serve God in all situations. This is not easy, but with God's help, we can continue to serve Him. We must also recognize that God does not abandon us, especially in our times of weakness and helplessness.

What can we do if we fail in our faithfulness during a hard situation?

Seek input from the experience of others where they faced hardship whether it was by their own doing or because of other's actions. First, never be afraid to come home. This is a critical lesson from the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). Even in situations where we bring about the hard time, we can always turn to God. We might suffer the consequences for bad choices, but God removes the eternal consequence of sin when we repent.

We should then recognize what brought us to the situation, even if it was something beyond our control or fault. Once we identify the cause, seek a solution that is in line with God's will and put it into effect as we are able. Keep focused on seeking and doing God's will throughout the situation.

Although it is not a direct intent, our demonstration of faithfulness will be seen by others. It might not result in immediate appreciation, but God is aware and that's what matters the most.

We must avoid temptation. Satan knows our weaknesses and he knows how to use our strengths against us. Paul teaches us to avoid all appearances of evil (I Thessalonians 5:22), and Peter teaches us to be alert because Satan is like a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8).

We live on God's time. Our role is to maintain faithfulness in our service to Him (Matthew 25:14-30). In doing so, He will provide for us.