Learning From Our Trials

Why do bad things happen to good people? It is an age old question and one that no one really seems to have an answer for. However, facing trials is something that everyone will go through. Some will face more difficult trials and some will face easier trials, but no one will have a life without them. How we respond to these trials is shaped by many things, for the Christian our response is shaped upon our reliance upon the Lord. If you have ever read through the story of Joseph, you will see that he faced many trials and yet through them he was able to save many.

Joseph’s story begins in Genesis 37, in which he is described as the son that was loved most by Jacob because he was born to him in his old age, Genesis 37:3. This resulted in Joseph’s brothers beginning to despise him, “4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” Genesis 37:4. It came to a tipping point with his brothers when one day Joseph had a dream, “6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf stood up and also remained standing; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he had yet another dream, and informed his brothers of it, and said, “Behold, I have had yet another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 He also told it to his father as well as to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Am I and your mother and your brothers actually going to come to bow down to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” Genesis 37:6-11.

This lead to the first of the trials that Joseph would face. Out of jealousy Joseph’s brothers plotted to, at first, kill him. It was only out concern for their father that the oldest son, Reuben, convinced the others not to kill Joseph. Instead they threw him into a pit in the wilderness without any water. On the outside Joseph’s brothers sat down to eat and while they were doing so a caravan past by on their way to Egypt. It was here that Judah spoke to his brothers and said, “26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.” Genesis 37:26-27 In the last of chapter 37, Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar, the Pharaoh’s captain of the bodyguard.

In chapter 39, we see that Joseph had prospered through his circumstance. “4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.” Genesis 39:4. However, it wasn’t due to anything that Joseph himself had done instead it was based solely upon the Lord, “2 And the Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 Now his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did prosper in his hand.” Genesis 39:2-3. The Lord was placing His plan for Joseph in motion by allowing him to prosper in this land. Due to the skills that God had given Joseph, Potiphar made him overseer over his whole household. But in the middle of what should have been an easy time full of prosperity, Joseph faced his next trial. Potiphar’s wife began to come to Joseph day by day demanding that he would lie with her, and every time Joseph had the same response. “8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” Genesis 39:8-9. Joseph was holding himself to a higher standard. Joseph refused to commit this act and sin against God, and in doing so he was already proving that he placed God above all the riches that he possessed. However, one day Potiphar’s wife caught Joseph alone but instead of committing adultery, Joseph ran leaving behind his garment. It was Joseph’s coat that she brought to her husband to accuse Joseph. Without listening to Joseph, Potiphar threw him into the jail that held Pharaoh’s prisoners.

You would think at this moment that God had abandoned Joseph, he was in jail for a crime that he did not commit and the only reason that he was there in the first place was because he had been sold as a slave out of jealousy. However, this was far from the case, “21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” Genesis 39:21. God was still with Joseph, and still allowing him to prosper for he was placed in charge of the prisoners because the chief jailer showed him favor.

The rest of Joseph’s story can be summed up. While he was in jail, Joseph interpreted the dreams of two men. One was a cupbearer and the other was a baker, in the cupbearer’s case his dream showed that he would be restored to his place in three days while the baker would be killed in three days. Joseph only asked that the cupbearer remember him when he was back before Pharaoh, a fact that the cupbearer failed to do. It wasn’t until two years later, when the Pharaoh had a dream that no one was able to interpret that the cupbearer remembered Joseph. Joseph was brought before Pharaoh and told him that his dream was given by God as a warning of what He was to do. “26 The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same. 27 The seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.” Genesis 41:26-27.

God once again brought Joseph out of a trial and into a place of honor. “39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 41:39-44. It was through the actions of God that Joseph was able to make a plan to store enough food during the seven years of good harvest that Egypt was able to survive during the seven years of famine. It was during this time that Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt looking for food, at first they did not recognize Joseph until he at last revealed himself to them. When his brothers were worried that he would deal with them unkindly, Joseph responds in a surprising manner, “20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20

Through Joseph we may be able to understand the answer to the question of why bad things happen to good people. Throughout all of his trials, Joseph remained steadfast to God, he never wavered from his conviction that God would provide for him. In his response to his brothers, we can see that sometimes God places us in difficult situations not because we have done wrong, but because through our trials we can help others. What I mean by this is sometimes we are going through difficult times not for our own benefit, but to guide and encourage others. Our life experiences allows us to witness to others. We are able to show others how good our God is to us through our trials. Next time you are in a situation where something clearly is being done to you in a negative way, take a moment and reflect. Could this be because I have sinned against the Lord? Could this be a trial that I am not privy to the reasoning? How can I learn from this trial and glorify Jesus Christ even more? Next week we will go over what many Bible scholars have called one of the most unique books of the Bible. We will learn a story of a rich man who loved God but ended up going through a trial of Biblical proportion.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex