Joseph said to his brothers . . .“I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here . . . God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me…ruler over all the land of Egypt.”
– Genesis 45:4-8
Joseph suffered more than his share of unfair treatment. First his brothers threw him into a pit, and then they sold him to a passing caravan of traders. Joseph was next sold as a slave to an important man in Egypt. He eventually became the head slave in charge of the household, only to be falsely accused and imprisoned. He eventually won the trust of the jailor and was placed in charge of the care of the prisoners. One prisoner was released, and he promised to plead for Joseph, but instead he forgot about him, and Joseph remained imprisoned for several years.
Eventually, freed prisoner remembered Joseph and brought him before Pharaoh. Joseph was treated well and eventually became ruler second only to the Pharaoh. When Joseph came to a position of authority in Egypt, he was able to help others and especially his family through his wise decisions. Joseph’s path to prominence was riddled with pain. Yet through it all, God had a purpose and a plan.
Focus on the purpose, not the pain. God has set you on a path and will take you where you need to go. Keep the faith and keep pressing on.
