You got passed over.  Someone cut you off.  You missed the deadline.  You were misrepresented, and now you are missing out.  Sometimes life is just not fair.

In Genesis 39, Potipher’s wife falsely accused Joseph of making an inappropriate advance toward her.  And she had Joseph’s coat to prove it.  So Potipher put Joseph in jail.

No Average Joe Series

There was nothing fair about that.  Joseph did the right thing.  Potipher’s wife did the wrong thing.  And then big, strong, powerful Potipher caves his high-maintenance, milly-mouth wife.

What do we do when our God-given dream has been taken hostage by the corrupt behavior of others?  What do we do when we have been forgotten or when the dream in our heart seems destined for failure?  What do we do when we are trapped in a prison built by the unwise or even wicked decisions of other people?

Here’s a place to start:

Live there.

We read in Genesis 39:20, “and he was there in the jail.”  Jail was Joseph’s new living quarters.  He should have been dead, but he was in a dungeon instead.  Although you may not like it, the dungeon you are in may just be God’s way to preserve you and your dream.  So live there.  Take a deep breath, rise to your feet, and live.

Recognize God’s presence.

Although Joseph was in jail, God was with him.  “No Average Joes” understand the dream is not the most important thing God has given to us.  God has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and our temporary limitations never limit God’s activity in our lives.

Enjoy God’s favor.

God extended kindness to Joseph “and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailor.”  Even in a dungeon, God shows favor that is clear to “No Average Joes”.  Sometimes our difficult circumstances steal our joy and blind us to the reality of God’s gracious work in our lives.  You may be in a miserable situation, but you don’t have to be miserable.  God’s gives grace.

Rise to the occasion.

Very quickly, the chief jailor gave Joseph full responsibility for prison operations.  Joseph shows us that how faithful we are with the limited influence of today, may determine the kind of opportunities we have tomorrow.  For Joseph, his faithfulness in a dark place under unfair circumstances ultimately produced tremendous blessing for an entire nation.  So don’t waste this moment.  And never minimize how far your faithfulness will travel.

Life is not fair.  But thankfully we don’t need fair.  For the follower of Jesus, we have something better than fair.  We have the favor of God that follows us into the most obscure, destitute, and difficult places in order to produce something great in us and through us.

How have you experienced the favor of God in unfavorable circumstances?