Having a Bad Day?

1. Have you ever had one of those weeks were everything seems to go wrong? – you bomb a few tests, you get into a fight with your best friend, you lose in a competition and your best friend’s dog dies – all happens on the same day or week.


2. How do you respond when you face tough times or trials?


Read Genesis 37:2-8; 18-28

3. What happened here?


4. Why did his brothers hate him?


5. What did they do to Joseph?


Read Genesis 39:6-18

6. He was a handsome man, doing great at his job and what happens?


7. However, he denies her. Why did he deny her?


8. What happens because of this?


Application:

So, what do these stories illustrate? These stories show that time and time again, Joseph was falling on hard times. His brothers hated him…hated him enough to sell him into slavery. His master’s wife hit on him and when he refused accused him of trying to sleep with her…that lead him to jail.

Then, after all this, he got a chance to get out of jail by interpreting a dream for the King – thinking that it was a way out of jail. However, as his luck would have it, even when he did something else good and his interpretation was right, he was forgotten in jail for many more years. He had definitely hit some hard times.

However, despite all the bad things that happened to him, 2 things were constant:

1. God was still with him
• Read Genesis 39:2-4
• Read Genesis 39:21-23

Isn’t it interesting to see how in everything that happened to him, God was there walking with him.

God was helping him, guiding him all throughout. God led him to Potiphar’s house where he thrived and succeeded. Then, in jail, God was with him and helped him succeed there, too. So, God was there with him throughout.

Life may not have been treating him well, but God was there beside him and helping him through it. And Joseph thrived because of God’s help.

2. Joseph still remained faithful to God and trusted Him.

He could have pouted and claimed that he was the victim and whined the rest of his life, but he didn’t. He could have went his own way and said to God, "You know God, this just isn’t working. I’m going to try my own plan now.” He didn’t – he continued to trust God’s plan and remained faithful.

Genesis 39:8-9;11-12 - He said, how could he sin against God? So, he fled naked.

He knew that no matter how tough life would get, he wasn’t going to change his mind. He wasn’t going to waver or lose faith in God and God’s plan for his life. Why? Because, he trusted God.

And where did God’s plan and Joseph’s faithfulness to God get him? 2nd in command of all Egypt! Listen, I haven’t even finished the story of Joseph! So many other things happened to Joseph…so many great things! I would encourage you to read the rest of the book of Genesis because there are so many great stories, just like this in it.

Stay committed to God and his plan. Joseph did and we can too. God is always there desiring to lead you through the toughest of tough times.

PRAY