{"id":56371,"date":"2019-12-24T00:07:42","date_gmt":"2019-12-23T21:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=56371"},"modified":"2025-09-24T23:46:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T20:46:13","slug":"the-presence-of-the-lord-even-in-the-midst-of-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2019\/12\/24\/the-presence-of-the-lord-even-in-the-midst-of-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"The Presence of the Lord Even in the Midst of Trials"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shalom! Blessed be the name of the Lord. You are welcome as we continue learning the Word of God, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, let us be reminded of how God works so that we may not fall into murmuring when life does not go as we expected. The life of Joseph in the Bible carries one of the most powerful lessons of how God can lift someone from despair and suffering to a place of honor and destiny.<\/p>\n

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1. God\u2019s Presence Does Not Depart in Hard Times<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the most important things to note from Joseph\u2019s life is this: In every stage he passed through, the Lord was with him.<\/strong> God never abandoned him.<\/p>\n

When Joseph was in Potiphar\u2019s house\u2014even though he was a slave\u2014everything he did prospered. Perhaps the livestock he managed grew healthier and multiplied more than others. Maybe the fields he oversaw yielded more crops. Everything Joseph touched succeeded. That caught Potiphar\u2019s attention, and he made Joseph overseer of his entire household.<\/p>\n

Genesis 39:2\u20136 (NKJV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man\u2026And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand\u2026So he left all that he had in Joseph\u2019s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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2. God Was with Joseph Even in Prison<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even when Joseph was falsely accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison, God did not forsake him. The prison warden, just like Potiphar, noticed that something was different about Joseph. Order was restored. Peace came. Productivity increased.<\/p>\n

Eventually, the warden put him in charge of the other prisoners\u2014and everything ran smoothly. Again, this was evidence that God\u2019s presence brings favor, even in chains.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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3. Misconceptions About Suffering Among Christians<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Many believers wrongly assume that trials and low-status jobs mean God has abandoned them. If you\u2019re a maid, a street sweeper, or you run a small food stall\u2014people may say you are cursed or lack the “spirit of prosperity.” That is a lie from Satan.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joseph was not cursed for being sold into slavery. He was a descendant of Abraham\u2014the blessed one<\/strong>. His circumstances were not a sign of God\u2019s absence but a path God had ordained.<\/p>\n

If you are saved and walking in obedience to God\u2019s Word, then God is with you right there<\/strong>\u2014even in that humble job.<\/p>\n

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4. God’s Blessing Can Be Upon What Others Own\u2014for Your Sake<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Notice something else profound: God didn\u2019t prosper Joseph\u2019s own assets<\/strong>\u2014because he didn\u2019t have any. Instead, God blessed Potiphar\u2019s household<\/strong> for Joseph\u2019s sake. Likewise, the prison was blessed<\/strong> because Joseph was there.<\/p>\n

Genesis 39:5 (NKJV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cSo it was, from the time he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian\u2019s house for Joseph\u2019s sake\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Sometimes God places you in someone else’s field to bless that field for your sake<\/strong>, and in due time, He will transition you into your own inheritance.<\/p>\n

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5. God\u2019s Timing Is Better Than Our Own<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When the appointed time came\u2014God\u2019s time, not man’s\u2014Joseph was exalted. The famine that affected the whole world was used by God to position Joseph as a savior, not just for Egypt but for many nations, including his own family.<\/p>\n

Now imagine if Joseph had been released early from Potiphar\u2019s house and given personal freedom\u2014maybe a home, wealth, and land. When the famine came, he could have died along with others. He would have missed the divine timing of his elevation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cHe has made everything beautiful in its time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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6. God is With You\u2014Everywhere and Always<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No matter what trial you\u2019re in\u2014be it grief, poverty, false accusations, or bondage\u2014God is still with you.<\/strong> His presence does not depend on your status. It depends on your faithfulness and your position in Him through Christ.<\/p>\n

Psalm 139:5\u201312 (NKJV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me…
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there\u2026
Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me…
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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7. Be Encouraged and Remain Faithful<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To you who have chosen to deny yourself, to forsake the world and follow Jesus Christ\u2014He is with you always.<\/strong> That is His promise.<\/p>\n

Matthew 28:20 (NIV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cAnd surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Do not compare your life with others. Focus on God’s purpose. Be content and faithful in what He has entrusted to you now. He will elevate you in His time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Final Word of Encouragement<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Stay humble. Do not grumble. If your leader enjoys working with you and sees results because of you, rejoice! That is evidence that God is working through you\u2014just like Joseph.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t rush to “break free” if God has not finished His purpose in that place. He may be using your presence there to bless others until your appointed time comes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trust in His timing.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcd6 Supporting Scriptures for Further Study:<\/strong><\/h3>\n