Today, we continue our series entitled “Laser Focus,” with the point being that we should live with a Laser Focus on the Fixed Purpose God established for us before the world began.
This is the main scripture we will be looking at this year:
(Proverbs 4:25 TPT)
Set your gaze on the path before you. With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.
We are also looking at these scriptures as we consider the life of Joseph.
(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 39:1-6 CEV)
1 The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the king’s official in charge of the palace guard.
2 So Joseph lived in the home of Potiphar, his Egyptian owner.
3 Soon Potiphar realized that the Lord was helping Joseph to be successful in whatever he did.
4 Potiphar liked Joseph and made him his personal assistant, putting him in charge of his house and all of his property.
5 Because of Joseph, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s family and fields.
6 Potiphar left everything up to Joseph, and with Joseph there, the only decision he had to make was what he wanted to eat.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. God is working, even when it does not look like He is working.
A few days before Joseph arrived at Potiphar’s house, he was at home, enjoying life as his father’s favorite child, walking around with a coat of many colors. He was as proud as a peacock. But Genesis 39 opens with Joseph as a betrayed slave.
Joseph was betrayed by his own family, sold off to a pack of strangers, and taken to a foreign country. All he had left was his dream. The dream God gave him was still in his heart. Joseph knew that someway, somehow, God was still God and his dream was still valid. This is an important reminder because if you ever feel like God is not present or that God has turned His back on you, it will impact your attitude. Your heart will sink, and your life will spiral out of control. Joseph knew that God was still working, so this 17-year-old kid maintained the proper attitude while he tried to figure out how to operate as a slave in Potiphar’s house.
You may not understand what God is doing, but just remember that God is working; even when it doesn’t, it does not look like He is working. Joseph was sold to Potiphar. This was no ordinary man. He was on Pharaoh’s personal staff. He served as the commander of the palace guard. The modern equivalent would be the Director of the Secret Service. Potiphar had a key position in Egypt. Joseph did not know it, but the dream God gave him was tied to Egypt. All Joseph could see in the dream was that he had a high position and his family would someday be under his leadership. Joseph did not know that he was called to be the Prime Minister of Egypt, operating as the #2 man to the Pharaoh himself.
While Joseph could have been sold to anyone, he was sold to one of Pharaoh’s direct-reports, because God was up to something. Joseph did not know it but he was one step closer to his destiny. My point here is that God is always working. He is working, even when it does not look like He is. So when you are in a difficult situation, as difficult as it seems, you would do good to remind yourself that God is still God and that He is up to something. God is moving pieces around on the chessboard of your life in ways that will work out in your favor. He may not have caused the bad situation to happen, but God is able to turn it around for your good!
*** Get excited! God is up to something in your life. You may not know what it is, but I guarantee you, IT IS GOOD!
2. A few quick lessons from the life of Joseph when God was working, even though it did not look like it.
— Trust in God’s sovereignty; He orchestrates your steps even in the unknown.
— Recognize that God’s plans are often beyond your immediate understanding.
— Believe that every situation is a step closer to your destiny, even when it’s not evident.
— Keep faith alive in your heart, despite how circumstances may appear.
— Understand that God’s work isn’t always visible, but it is always effective. In retrospect (hindsight), you will look back and see what He was doing.
— Embrace the journey, knowing God is using each phase for your development.
— Open your heart to see God’s hand in the unexpected, trusting His guidance through every transition.
— Acknowledge that setbacks can be God’s setups for greater opportunities.
— Stay open to God’s work, knowing He’s always moving toward your good.
— Remember, God’s timing is perfect, bringing about His plan at the right moment.
— Embrace the unseen grace at work in our lives. Even when God’s hand isn’t immediately visible, His blessings are always moving.
— Understanding the essence of spiritual discernment can unveil God’s action in every circumstance we face.
— Consider ‘divine positioning’ as more than coincidence; it’s God strategically placing us for growth and to manifest His glory.
— God’s silence or solitude isn’t absence. It’s an invitation to deepen our trust in His constant presence.
— Trials, though challenging, serve as the fertile ground where the seeds of faith can grow strongest.
— A heart of thanksgiving isn’t just an act of worship; it’s acknowledging and celebrating God’s work in our lives every day.
— Every chapter of our story, especially the painful ones, is being used by God to write a masterpiece that fulfills His divine plan.
3. Dealing with disappointment is part of your development.
— Maintaining the right attitude/mindset while you wait on God is critical. If you keep the right attitude, you can make the most of any situation. Joseph could have easily developed the wrong attitude. No one would blame him if he had shut down (because he was upset about what his brothers did to him). But shutting down and being upset would not help him in the long run. Joseph maintained a good attitude because he believed God would do what He said He would do, and Joseph’s outlook helped impact his outcome. The same will happen for you!
— Potiphar had a key position in Egypt, and he lived well. Joseph, the new slave, could have wound up working anywhere on Potiphar’s property, but in another seeming coincidence, Joseph wound up living and working in his house. Then, instead of murmuring and complaining, he kept the right attitude and started working. He worked hard, and God favored his work. Potiphar noticed that God was blessing everything Joseph did. Everything he touched was successful. So Potiphar promoted him and made Joseph his personal aide. Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his house and all of his property. Why? Because Joseph worked hard and God favored him. Remember that favor is when God raises up people to use their power, their ability, and their influence to help you. This will happen when you maintain the right attitude while you wait on God.
— It’s easy to allow disappointment and pain to cause you to live in bitterness. Anyone can do that. But it takes a certain level of maturity to embrace disappointment and still believe that God will work out the situation for your good.
— If you can’t get past disappointment and pain, you will never develop into the man/woman God called you to be. But if you learn to look past the pain, you will find that God can turn a SETBACK into a SETUP for the next season and stage of your life!
4. A few quick lessons from Joseph’s life when he was dealing with disappointment.
— Learn to find God’s lessons in every disappointment.
— See every setback as an opportunity for spiritual growth.
— Refuse to let disappointment deter you from your God-given destiny.
— Understand that God can use disappointing circumstances to help direct or redirect us toward His best.
— Maintain a positive outlook, focusing on God’s promises, not the problems.
— Let go of bitterness and embrace God’s grace for healing and restoration.
— Use disappointment as a catalyst for deeper trust in God.
— Stay committed to God’s vision (His dream), even when the path is unclear or painful.
— Know that God’s favor follows faithfulness, even in tough times.
— View every disappointment as a stepping stone, not a stopping point.
— Resilience isn’t just bouncing back; it’s how we, as believers, strengthen our faith, turning disappointments into divine appointments.
— Reflect on the lives of Biblical figures who faced disappointment head-on, only to witness God transforming their situations into testimonies.
— When disappointment knocks, process it through prayer, casting our cares on Him, and finding solace in His unchanging promises.
— Shifting our focus from our lack to God’s blessings cultivates an abundance mindset, opening our eyes to God’s provision, even in troubling times.
— Sometimes, God’s ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ is His protection, redirecting us toward something far greater than we imagined.
— Divine redirection often disguises itself as setbacks. Yet, in God’s plan, these moments are guiding us towards our destiny.
— Facing disappointment in faith challenges us to trust God deeper, reaffirming our commitment to His plans over our preferences.
*** I will close with the following question:
Anyone can claim they have faith when things are going well. But can you believe God in the middle of a painful situation?
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I declare my trust in Your sovereignty, and I believe You order my steps.
I believe Your plans for me are filled with hope, prosperity, and success.
I am confident that every challenge I face is preparing me for my destiny.
My heart remains steadfast in faith, even when Your work is not visible to my natural eyes.
I trust You, Father, even when I don’t know what You are doing.
I embrace each phase of my journey, recognizing that Your hand is working, even when I can’t see it.
Father, I acknowledge setbacks as strategic setups for my future.
I release all bitterness, choosing to see Your grace in every disappointment.
I commit to maintaining a positive outlook, knowing that You will produce a divine outcome in the fullness of Your timing.
I know You will make all things work together for my good.
Father, I am grateful for Your unseen grace, which operates even in silence.
I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME because I have learned to rest in Your promises and Your grace.
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
