Today we continue our series entitled, “Faith and Patience Volume IV — The Wonder Twins”. I am using Joseph as a good example of our need for patience. We are seeking to learn from the different phases of Joseph’s life. Each phase (paternal, pit, Potiphar, prison, and palace/Prime Minister) has significance to this series and to our lives.
Yesterday I introduced the concept of “Growing into your grace.” I will continue to flow in that same vein today. Let’s get into it.
(James 1:2-4 TPT)
2 My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can!
3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things.
4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.
(Gen 39:21-23 MSG)
But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.
(Ecc 3:1 KJV)
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
(Ecc 3:1 ERV)
There is a right time for everything, and everything on earth will happen at the right time.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. We all go through DRY seasons.
While we all have a divine assignment from God that was established before the world began, we must discover it, develop in it, deploy into it, and then remain determined to complete it before we die. Along the way, we wind up living our lives out in times and seasons. Within each, there are levels and stages we must proceed through. Not every time, season, level or stage is going to be pleasant. Some are more enjoyable than others. Some are more fruitful than others. The truth is that all of have to endure DRY seasons from time to time.
So there he (Joseph) was, in prison, beginning again. His father, who loved him dearly, thought he was dead. His brothers, who betrayed him, had no idea where he was or what he was doing. The friends he developed at Potiphar’s house, Potiphar being one of them, all thought he was a rapist. So after doing nothing wrong, and after trying to do everything right, Joseph woke up one morning in prison, in the middle of a DRY season of his life. God was still with him. The favor of God was on him. But from the outside looking in, there is no question that no one would claim that Joseph was on the right path in life. He went from favorite child to slave. He then went from slave to prisoner. It looked like his life was on the wrong path, but he was actually in the center of God’s will. He was just going through a DRY season.
This may be a DRY season for you. From the outside looking in, it may look like you are not on the right path. It may look like you are not progressing through life the way others expected you to. But don’t take a DRY season to mean that you are outside of the will of God. You may be the center of God’s will and still have to endure seasons that are not pleasant and possibly even not fruitful. But keep living long enough, and keep your attitude intact, because seasons change! When it does, you want to be ready!
2. God is still working in a seeming DRY season.
If you look at an old, large, tall, and strong tree, you are looking at a living organism that has been around for possibly hundreds of years. Within those years, the tree has had to endure many, many seasons. There were seasons in the life of the tree when it was barren, dried up, and seemingly lifeless. But it was still alive and it was actually preparing for the next season.
When you look at a tree in the middle of winter you often notice that the leaves are gone. The fruit is nonexistent. The branches are naked. It looks lifeless. But that is from the outside looking in. On the inside, things are still working. The tree is still alive. It actually has not been internally impacted. It’s just that the external conditions have changed. Since things externally are not right, the tree is preparing, on the inside, so it is ready to thrive again when the external conditions change!
A large tree, in the middle of winter, in the middle of a DRY season, pulls up water and minerals from the ground and it creates sap. It stores up this sap throughout the winter, so when the external conditions change, it is ready to produce leaves and fruit.
Sometimes we have to endure sap-storing seasons. From the outside looking in, people don’t see much going on with us in these seasons. They don’t see leaves. They don’t see fruit. But they don’t know that God is still working and he is actually helping us to store up all the sap we are going to need to thrive when the season changes!
Joseph was in prison. He was called to be the Prime Minister of Egypt. But during the prison phase of his life, he was in Egypt, he was in a prison reserved for offenses against the throne, he was actually closer to the dream than he had ever been, but from the outside looking in, this was still a DRY season. Joseph made the most of this season. Because he did, he was ready when his season changed.
Listen, right now, while the world is dealing with COVID-19, you may feel like you are enduring a DRY season. External conditions have changed. But that does not mean that your internal attitude is supposed to. God has given you an internal regulator in the person of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will also lead you to God’s Word. Between God’s Word and His Spirit, you can remain the same on the inside — which is what the word patient means by the way; it is the force of consistency; is the power to remain the same on the inside, no matter what is happening on the outside — because you have an internal regulator.
Since you are dedicated to remaining the same, and since you re committed to being consistent by God’s grace, you can make the most of this season and you will be prepared for moment this season shifts to the next. When the external conditions change — when the world opens back up again — you will be prepared because you made the most of this season. You stored up your sap in the winter, so when spring comes, you will be prepared to produce leaves and fruit.
COVID-19 is not going to last forever. When this DRY season is over, make sure you are ready for the shift!
I will stop here for today. Even though Monday is a holiday, I will still share Today’s Word, because people need it in this DRY season. On Monday I will deal with the fact that God was preparing Joseph, in the prison, for the palace! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for Your grace, Your goodness, Your kindness and Your mercy towards me. You are always with me. You will never leave me. Even when I have to endure a DRY season, I find peace in knowing that You are still there and that You still care. And since You know how to squeeze every ounce out of every season, you use the DRY seasons of my life to prepare me for the seasons of plenty. I will not miss out on the preparation. I maintain the right attitude. I am getting ready now, for my tomorrow. GREATER is coming! And when the season SHIFTS, I will be ready! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
