Read Genesis 39:6-23 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. How did Joseph respond to Potiphar’s wife, and how did she twist the situation to her advantage?
2. Where did Joseph end up as a result?
3. How did God make Himself known there?
Reflect
Joseph’s dreams took a detour, which led to a dead end. Despite doing everything right, he was still wrongfully accused and sent to prison. His earlier dreams of ruling and being honored and esteemed were dead. Now his reality was the opposite: being accused, labeled, judged, and imprisoned. Joseph had a choice to make in prison. He could forfeit his opportunity to accomplish his purpose, or he could resist bitterness and let God continue doing a work in him.
That’s the choice we face when we reach dead ends too. Our faith, hope, and love are tested, and we have some decisions to make. Is our faith worth it? Is God trustworthy of our hope? Is love worth our forgiveness? Dead ends aren’t a death sentence, but sometimes dreams need to die so purpose can be resurrected.
Are you in a place that feels like a dead end? What step could you take to celebrate the good, mourn the loss, resist bitterness, and/or choose forgiveness? If you’re not at a dead end but know someone who is, how can you encourage them today?
Respond
Pray through today’s reading, reflecting on the questions just posed. What do you think God is prompting you to do in response? Write it down, share it with a friend, and take a step to start making it happen.