From Darkness to Destiny: Embracing the Process of God’s Dream
Genesis 44
12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.
And suddenly, everything changed. Joseph had endured years of slavery, sold by his brothers out of jealousy for his dreams and favored status. They initially conspired to kill him but settled on selling him instead. Then Joseph was wrongly imprisoned for rejecting his captor’s wife.
He spent years in darkness, serving in the pit. We can only imagine the confusion and despair Joseph endured. Long, lonely nights filled with longing for his family and home. Years of isolation adding to his distress, where he surely questioned his circumstances and perhaps even despised the God-given dreams that had caused the hatred.
He waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And suddenly, in a moment, everything changed. Bathed, clothed, and squinting from the light, Joseph was brought to stand before Pharaoh. In one encounter, Joseph went from being the lowest of the low to the most esteemed man in Egypt under Pharaoh. In an instant, Joseph was living out God’s dream.
So what were all those years in darkness about? Process. God’s dream for Joseph remained unchanged. God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable. The calling of God on our lives does not change, but, like Joseph, we need to be prepared for His call.
The dream God has for our lives is magnificent. When we first hear it, we may feel a sense of pride, at least internally. But God has a way of dealing with our pride. The pit is part of the process. We can’t embrace God’s dream while holding onto our pride. God loves us too much to allow us to walk in error for long, thinking that His call is based on our awesomeness.
By the time Joseph stood before Pharaoh, the pit had done its necessary work. All presumption was gone. Pride was dead. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream but gave all the credit to God.
Has God given you a big dream? Hold on to it. Are you in a pit, struggling through the darkness of despair? Hold on to the dream. Have you faced rejection and hatred because of the word of the Lord? Hold on to God. You are in the faith. You are in the process.
Surely, there is a suddenly coming. Hold on.
