Chapter 7: Ep 2: Girl God Got You: Joseph's Journey from Trial to Triumph

0:00 Hello, and welcome back to Diary of a Black Woman podcast, where we dive deep into faith, life, and incredible ways God moves in our lives. I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'm glad that you're here with me today. And so today's episode is titled, Girl, God Got You, Stories of Unseen Miracles and Provision. We're in episode two. We're going to journey through Joseph's remarkable journey from the pit to the palace, highlighting how God can turn trials into triumphs and suffering into sovereignty. This story will remind us that no matter what we face, God is faithful and his provision is always on time.

0:46 So settle in, grab your Bible. We'll be in Genesis 37 through 40, I believe. and keep it nearby. That's where we're going to go. So take a chance right now to grab your Bible and get to Genesis 37. And let's explore how God's unseen miracles and provisions are working in our lives today. So we're going to start and set the scene here with Joseph. Joseph's story is an incredible story. This narrative spans from Genesis 37 to 50. It's a powerful testament of how God can turn our deepest trials into triumphs and use our most painful experiences for his greater purposes.

1:36 You know, I don't sit before you pain-free, but God can use our most painful experiences for his greater purposes. So let's begin by setting this scene up. Joseph's story is one of the most incredible highs and devastating lows as a young man. Joseph is given dreams by God, dreams that indicate that he will one day rise to a position of great authority, even over his own family. But these dreams set the stage for jealousy and betrayal. His brothers, driven by envy, sell him into slavery. and Joseph is taken to Egypt where he faces years of hardship.

2:23 Despite being enslaved and later imprisoned due to false accusation, Joseph's faith never wavers. He continues to trust God's plan even when his circumstances seem to contradict the dreams he was given. Eventually, Joseph's faith and integrity lead him to a position of power in Egypt where he becomes instrumental in saving many lives during a severe famine. What could have been a story of despair becomes one of divine redemption and reconciliation. As we walk through Joseph's story, Joseph's journey from trial to triumph, we're going to explore the lessons that we can draw from his unwavering faith and the sovereignty of God that shines through even the darkest moments of his life.

3:18 So let's start out with Genesis 37. Now we heard, we probably heard Joseph's story many, many times, and I really love Joseph's story. And I often wonder what really made him solid in who he was, because at any time during his story, he could have just fainted. The Bible tells us, do not faint. But Joseph's story was fainted. I mean, his brother sold him into slavery. So he was betrayed by his own family. But yet we know the end, but we won't go to the end yet. But think about what that would feel like from the beginning.

4:00 We do have a lot of stories of people you know, being sold into human trafficking, being, so that's not something like strange that we haven't heard of in our time. So think if your family did that to you, how would you feel? But then I started thinking about how God speaks to us through his word, but most importantly, through dreams and how when God speaks to us through our dreams, how that maybe had a great impact on Joseph too, because dream seems to stick with you like glue.

4:40 You know it's God and he sticks with you. So he never gave up on what God has spoken to us. So in this series of Girl God Got You, I want you to remember that whatever God has spoken to you in your dreams, in your study, Bible study, in your waking hour, whenever God has whispered something to you and you documented it and you wrote it down, make sure that when things get tight, Like Joseph in this story, that you have this foundation with the Lord, that you can go back and know that God's got you. So that would be your foundation. Here we see that Joseph had a relationship with God.

5:23 God spoke to him in a dream, told him what his future would be. He's a young guy, and he went and bragged to his family and his brother, and they got immediately jealous. And we don't know the story behind the story. Were they always jealous? Well, he had this coat of many colors, so he was, you know, his father's favorite. So that could have been a start of some jealousy. He was the youngest, so the start of more jealousy, he had a little bit of favor with the father. So we don't know a lot of the background of this story, but we know the history of families and our family, how that jealousy can turn into envy.

6:03 And even in today's time, envy can turn into where families kill family members, right? And so let's keep that in mind as we study the story of Joseph that this is, like I said, this is a real person going through some real troubles. And so, and some real, like, I like to say some real, it being, being sold into slavery, being accused of rape, you know, just some things that real people deal with, but yet this guy decides to trust in God through it all. So this could be something that's happening in someone's life out there.

6:46 So let's hold on to God and let's go through the story and let's take it part by part like I did in our episode one with Abraham. Let's just pick it through part by part. So let's go to Genesis 37. I'm putting the scriptures together. Otherwise, we'd be here for hours. So get a chance, read it all the way through from Genesis 37 to 50. But for the sake of the podcast, I'm going to be grouping some scriptures together. So Genesis 37 verses 5 to 11, this is regarding Joseph's dream. So Joseph had a dream. And when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.

7:29 So here we see all the more. So this is kind of adding on to the other drama that was already present, right? He said to them, listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain and out of the field when suddenly my sheep froze and stood upright while your chiefs gathered around mines and bowed down to it. His brother said to him, do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us? And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he said. So this Genesis 5, 37, 5 through 11. He hated, they hated him all the more. Joseph dreams were prophetic and foreshadowed his future role in saving his family and many others.

8:14 However, these dreams also sparked jealousy and resentment among his brothers and, This passage reminds us that not everyone will understand or accept the vision and purposes God places in our heart. Yet like Joseph, we must hold on to these God-given dreams, trusting that in time they will come to pass according to God's plans. Okay, what I learned about this part of understanding, how do we share our excitement with someone who really don't really care about our excitement? So sharing my spiritual dreams you know when you're sharing your excitement i had this dream and this was that people don't want to hear your excitement about your dreams honestly, especially you're sharing it and with this you're sharing it and you're excited about it and they're not really excited to hear about your dream because why it had nothing to do with them if you share that you had a dream about them they they want to be they'll be all ears so what i've learned to do is I write down my dreams and I create them into devotionals.

9:21 And then I share them as a devotional, as a story, as a learning tool. And I keep them to myself most of the time because I'm finding out like the Joseph brothers, they hated them the more. Sometimes people can be jealous of your spiritual gifts, right? That you are getting dreams and they're not. And so then they'll start making up dreams that they, y'all had a dream and you'd be like you didn't have no dream, but you just listen. And so I learned the hard way that sometimes when you have spiritual gift, unless God asks you to share it, then you might want to just write it down and put it into a form that he will have you share it.

10:03 Mine is being shared through devotionals and also pretty much leading and guiding me in my journey for his purpose. And just like Joseph got excited and share his dreams. And you see how that stirred up Hayden, his brothers. And so he learned a lesson, but a lesson too late. So I'm just saying that if you have some exciting things you want to share, write them down. And many times those dreams will come to pass and they will see that it came to pass. But sometimes people don't want to hear about those things. I don't know if that's wise. This is my experience. And each of us will have our own experience. My experience is that I've been having a lot of dreams lately and people have not been interested in my dreams.

10:47 And so I've just been writing them down and creating devotionals for them and creating lessons learned or just making it a story and just making my process a learning process for everyone. So let's move on. Let's go to Genesis 37 verses 23 through 28. So when Joseph came to his brothers. They stripped him of his robe. The richly ornatant robe he was wearing. And they took him and threw him in the cistern. The first thing that happens when someone doesn't like something about you, they take that thing from you.

11:29 So number one, they didn't like his dreams. They didn't like his coat. So they stripped him of his coat. Now the cistern was empty where there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat their meal. They looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spice, bomb, and mirror, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, what will we gain if we kill our brother and cover him in his blood? Come, let's sell them to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.

12:13 His brothers agreed. So when the Midianites' merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the cistern and sold him for 20 shekels of silver to the Israelites who took him to Egypt. So they sold him for 20 shekels of silver. Joseph, betrayal by his brother, marked the beginning of a series of trials. Stripped of his robe and sold into slavery, Joseph's life takes a dramatic turn. This passage highlights the painful reality that sometimes those closest to us can cause the greatest hurt. Yet it's also a reminder that God's purposes are not thwarted by human activity, human actions.

13:01 What seems like an end for Joseph was actually the beginning of God's plan to position him in Egypt for a greater purpose. I want you to note this comment here. It says, sometimes those closest to us can cause the greatest hurt. What can make brothers kill a brother? What can make a brother kill a brother? What can make a brother sell a brother into slavery? We see that in verse 37, verses 5 through 11, that they hated him all the more.

13:43 And so hate can make a brother sell a brother and kill a brother. And lucky there was a brother that stood out and said, you know what? He is our flesh and blood. Let's not kill him. But why not? Let's not sell them. Let's like figure this out. But they sold them and they knew that he went to Egypt. But we know that God's plans, what seems like the end for Joseph, was actually the beginning of God's plan to position him in Egypt for a much greater purpose. Let's go to Genesis 39 verses 20 through 23. You get a chance to read all the juicy details. But like I said, just for this podcast, we must group the scriptures so we can get through.

14:31 So Joseph Master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph were in the prison, the Lord was with him. He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. And the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success whatever he did.

15:13 So we see his purpose and even though he was in jail, God was still training him in leadership. So a lot of times, you know, we'll frown up at certain jobs or opportunities because it's not what we're supposed to be doing. But there are some skills that we learn in the places that we don't want to be. So don't, you might think, I don't want to do that. Well, kind of ask the Lord, Lord, what skills should I be learning in this position on my journey to my destiny? Amen. So even in the death of prison, God's favor was upon Joseph.

15:54 His ability to remain faithful and maintain his integrity despite his circumstances allowed God to work through him. This passage encouraged us to remain steadfast in our faith, even when life seems unfair or hopeless. God is with us in our lowest moments, working behind the scenes to bring about his plans for our life. So we see here why Joseph was in prison. He was learning leadership skills, communication skills. He was learning how to be uncomfortable, living in an uncomfortable zone. A lot of times we get comfortable, right? And then when God makes it uncomfortable, we seem like we can't function.

16:35 Sometimes God keeps us in our uncomfortable zone. And so we never really get a chance to feel comfortable. but we're still growing in that area. So we see here that God has him in Egypt, but he's in prison in Genesis 39. Let's go to Genesis 41. A lot of things happened to Joseph in prison, but we're not gonna have time to go through all those. Make sure you read that because those were also Joseph learning how his gifts operate. Joseph was also an interpreter of dreams. And so he learned how to interpret dreams. And so that, that was a gift that he had, but he also learned that in captivity.

17:16 So let's go to Genesis 41, 39 through 40. And he says, then Pharaoh said to Joseph, since God had, has made all his, this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You should be in charge of my palace and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with the respect to the throne, will I be greater than you? So Pharaoh said to Joseph, I hear I put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt. And so after years of trials and imprisonment, Joseph is finally elevated to a position of power, fulfilling the dreams he had as a young man.

17:59 His rise to power is a testament to God's timing and sovereignty. Joseph's wisdom and discernment. Gifts from God were instrumental in saving countless lives during the famine. This part of Joseph's story reminds us that God's plans are always greater than our trials. What we endure today may be preparing us for a significant role in God's kingdom tomorrow. So Joseph rose to leadership because he was able to interpret the king's dream. And like I said, sometimes we're in positions where our gifts are being tuned up so that we can be used in God's kingdom on another time.

18:45 So don't be one of those complainers and whiners where you were like the Israelites in the book of Genesis, where all they did was complain and then they stayed. Remember that first group of those Israelites, they didn't make it through. They died off after 40 years and their kids went through. So don't be where you don't make it to your promised land because you're a complainer and whiner. Take that time where you're at and then you learn what you need to learn so that you can move on. People are always bragging about, I was at this job for 30 years. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. If you're still at that job for 30 years, I mean, what else did you do?

19:29 Maybe that's your destiny, but sometimes God trains us and he moves us, trains us and he moves us. He trains us and he moves us. So don't be afraid to get uncomfortable and don't be afraid to allow God to activate that gift. We see Joseph as a young man. He ran out and he told about his dreams. You didn't hear about Joseph when you read the story of Joseph in 37 throughout the Genesis 37 to 50. You never heard about Joseph running his mouth about what his gifts were again. He learned a big lesson about that. He just said, okay, I'll tell you if you can help me, right? He was learning how to use his gifts that God has gave him.

20:11 And one of the gifts that God gave him got him to be second in power in Egypt. Let's go to Genesis 45. When Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Remember, in life, when you live long enough, things come full circle. You'll be able to say, if you're able to live long enough, you will see your enemies get rewarded for what they did to you. You'll see them rewarded. Oh, you'll see them coming back around asking you for help. Life is secular. Then Joseph said to his brothers, come close to me. When they had done so, he said, I am your brother, Joseph, and one you sold to Egypt.

20:53 And now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now, there have been famine in the land. And for the next five years, there will be no need. There'll be no plowing or reaping, but God sent me ahead of you to preserve a remnant on earth for you to save your lives for a greater deliverance. So then it's not you who sent me here, but God. And so we see how much it says, but God sent me ahead of you to preserve a remnant on the earth for you to save your lives by a great deliverance.

21:41 And so he realized that even when we think that our enemy has tossed us in the jail, our enemy has done this to us, that could it be God who is teaching us, growing us up? So we see here at Joseph's growth, at Joseph, you got to read it all the way through, but Genesis 45, where he meets his brothers and he doesn't blame his brothers anymore. He says, this was God. So at any point during his growth process, he realized that this was where he was meant to be. His dream matured to show him that he was where he was supposed to be.

22:27 All of these things did make sense to him. And maybe God revealed him more in the dream. Maybe as he matured, he realized this is where he's supposed to be. This is so powerful, right? So as we mature, we realize that why are we angry with people when they were part of God's plan to grow us up, to mature us? So in this powerful moment of reconciliation, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. And acknowledge God's sovereignty in his journey. What his brothers intended for harm, God used for good. This passage emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and recognizing God's hands in our lives, even in our suffering.

23:11 Joseph's ability to forgive his brothers and see God's purpose in his trials is a lesson for all of us about trusting God's greater plan and letting go of past hurt. Remember, girl, God's got you. We have to say that to ourselves sometimes when we're dealing with this because when we're dealing with our own issues, family issues, this was a family issue one, right? Dealing with the haters, girl, God's got you. Now you got that expectation, Lord. You got the expectation to open up that space for God to do his miracles and to provide for his provisions.

23:57 And we see as, because Joseph could have been bitter and angry and never seen the promises of God. He could have just rotted in prison because he would just been too angry to even move. God couldn't work in a life of a man that's bitter and angry, But he was able to partner with God in his space, in his trials, right? So let's go to Genesis 50, verses 19 and 21. And let's talk Joseph's final words to his brothers. He has a chance to be bitter with his brothers too. Remember, now he's the man in charge. He could have watched them starve because they left him to die.

24:41 He could have watched them die. But Joseph said to them, don't be afraid. I am in the place of God. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. This Joseph who was tossed in the hole and sold to slavery, you know what he did to his family? He went, he got a chariot, picked up his family and he picked them up and brought them all the way back here and Pharaoh gave them a space.

25:25 It was called Goshen where they grew their family, where his father died there. He had a space for their family. So this young Joseph who had dreams of doing these great things grew up and did those great things and he saved his family, but also he saved Egypt and the surrounding areas because God was with him and he didn't give up on God. So it could be, girl, God got you. Hey, God, God got you. Joseph's story concludes with a profound statement of God's sovereignty and grace. Despite everything he endured, Joseph reassured his brothers, offering them forgiveness and provision.

26:10 Forgiveness and provision. His ability to see God's purpose in his suffering is a testament to his faith and understanding of God's greater plan. This passage encourages us to trust that God is in control, and when life takes unexpected turns, it also challenges us to offer forgiveness and grace, knowing that God can bring good out of any situation. That God can bring good out of any situation, but we have to let them in. We have to know that God got us, no matter what it looks like.

26:55 Remember, this story is about unseen miracles and provision. What they threw away as a slave was the one that saved them in the end. So we just have to be careful. So let's hit some learning points, and then we're going to close this up. Enduring faith. We see Joseph's journey is a profound example of enduring faith. See, his story didn't happen overnight. He wasn't one day, Abraham's story, we see it happened pretty quick. We'll say it happened maybe a three-week span, walking, and then sacrifice, and then a blessing.

27:37 This story of Joseph, he was a child. I think he was probably like 15, 16 years old. But then when they meet him, he's an adult with a family, so about 40 years old or so. So can you endure to the end if things doesn't work out? You know, I don't know how old you are right now, but can you still endure to see God's unseen miracle and provisions? Can your faith endure to the end? So we see here in Joseph's journey is a profound example of enduring faith, right? Throughout his life, Joseph faced numerous trials, betrayed by his own brother, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and in prison.

28:20 Yet through it all, he held on to his faith and integrity. Joseph's story teaches us that our faith must endure, even when our circumstances seem to contradict the promises we believe in. His faith was not based on his situation, but on his trust in God's character and his ultimate plan. This enduring faith sustained Joseph through the years of uncertainty and hardship. It is a reminder that our faith isn't just for the good times. It's especially for the times when we are tested. Like Joseph, we're called to remain faithful, trusting that God is with us, working all things together for our good, even when we can't see it in the moment.

29:14 I said, it takes what? Enduring faith. Can you endure? Can you endure? I think a lot of times as Christians, we want that miraculous to happen and take us away. But God says those that endure. So put on your endurance shoes, put on your endurance outfit, your endurance. People always say, put on your big girl panties, put on your endurance big girl panties on and let's do this. This enduring faith sustained Joseph through the years of uncertainty.

29:55 So if you have endured, keep enduring, keep enduring. Let's go to point number two, God's sovereignty. Another key theme in Joseph's story is the sovereignty of God. Despite the betrayal, the slavery, and the imprisonment, God was at work in Joseph's life, orchestrating events in such a way that was meant for evil, ultimately turned for good. This is most evident in Joseph's reconciliation with his brothers. When Joseph revealed his identity to them, he says in Genesis 50, 20.

30:40 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Isn't that powerful? A lot of times people don't know what was meant for harm. God intended it for good. him. What they meant to harm him was meant God meant it for good. This statement captures the essence of sovereignty, his ability to take our trials, our pains, and our suffering and use it for its greater purpose. It's a powerful reminder that what we go through, God is in control.

31:25 I'm going to say that again. What we go through, God is in control and he is always working behind the scenes to bring about his will. So let's reflect on what we learned here. So let's reflect on our own lives. Have you ever faced a situation where you felt betrayed, abandoned, or unjustly treated, much like Joseph did? Perhaps you've gone through a season of hardship or suffering that made you question God's plan. But as you look back, can you see how God used those challenges to shape you, to grow you, perhaps even to bless others.

32:10 I encourage you to think about the times when God turned your trials into opportunities for growth and blessings. These are the moments that remind us of God's faithfulness and its ability to bring good out of even the most difficult situations. Just as God was with Moses, guiding him through every trial, he's with you working all things together for your good and his glory. So how do we apply this to our life? It says, so what can we learn from Joseph's story? How can we apply this to our lives? One of the most powerful lessons is the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation.

32:57 You know, I think that holds us back because we see in the beginning that Joseph's brothers had enough hate to kill him. And so knowing that in your heart that your brothers could have killed you and you get to a position where you have the power to actually harm them and you don't, but you bless them instead. And you got to read the story. I mean, every time I read the story, I just cry because Joseph really loved his brothers. And he was in a position where he had the power, but he didn't use it for harm. He used it for good. And so remember, forgiveness and reconciliations do open the door for miracles and God's provision.

33:43 You can't keep that unforgiveness and that payback in your heart and thinking God's going to bless you or even let you be a blessing. You want to find a way to let that go, get forgiveness and reconciliation in your heart. So despite all that his brothers have done to him, Joseph chose to forgive them and seek reconciliation. This wasn't just an act of personal healing. It was a fulfillment, God's greater plan to save many lives during the famine. Think how many people were saved because of Joseph's forgiveness and reconciliation. I mean, he didn't just pinpoint it and make it personal. He actually just said, I'm going to forgive them.

34:27 And he began to save much people alive, not just his family, much people. So I encourage you to think about any areas in your life where you might need to practice forgiveness. Is there someone you need to reconcile with? Remember, forgiveness is not about condoning the wrong that was done, but about freeing yourself from the burden of bitterness, allowing God to work in your heart and relationships. Just as Joseph's forgiveness led to the healing of his family, your forgiveness can open the door for God to bring healing and restoration into your life. Let's close this segment with a prayer, focusing on enduring faith and trusting in God's greater plan.

35:11 Even when we don't understand it, let's ask God to give us the strength to forgive, to reconcile, and to trust his sovereignty over every aspect of our lives. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the story of Joseph and the powerful lessons it teaches us about faith, endurance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and most important, Lord, your sovereignty. Help us to hold our faith, even hold onto our faith, even in the midst of trials, trusting that you are at work within our lives. Give us the faith to forgive those who have wronged us and to seek reconciliation where it is needed.

35:56 We trust in your greater plan, knowing that you can turn our pain into purpose and our trials into triumphs. In Jesus' name, amen. So as we conclude this segment, I hope you are inspired by Joseph's story to trust in God's plan, even when it leads through difficult times. Remember, God is sovereign and he's able to take. What it meant for evil and use it for good. Just as Joseph's trials led to triumph, God can use your challenges to bring about those purposes in your life. Thank you for joining me on this journey through Joseph's life.

36:38 Stay tuned as we continue to explore our stories on lessons. We're going to delve into Psalms to see how King David trusted in God's provision and protection and how we can use those to trust God for our lives, to care for us in our lives. I love that. We'll focus on Psalms 37 chapter that speaks powerfully about trusting in the Lord, living in faith and security of the righteous. As we explore these scriptures, I encourage you to open your heart to the promises of God's provision and guidance.

37:20 Thank you for joining me on this journey to Joseph's life. Stay tuned as we continue to explore more stories of faith and miracles and God's provision in our next segment. And always remember, no matter what trials you face, girl, God's got you. Until next time, keep holding on to your faith and trusting God's greater plan. This is Connie Moore signing off. Be blessed and I'll see you on our next segment.