It's true that experiencing challenges and difficulties can help us grow and mature as individuals. However, I think it's safe to say that nobody enjoys going through painful experiences just to build character. If given the choice, I believe that most people would prefer to have all their needs met and live a peaceful life. Of course, as an independent adult, I may have a different perspective than you if you haven't experienced these situations yet. But I assure you, at some point in your life, you may face similar challenges and difficulties.

I recall hearing someone say, "One must go through the Pit before ascending to the throne." This suggests that before achieving success or a position of power, we must first go through difficult and challenging experiences.

Joseph, the son of Jacob, is a prime example of someone who had to endure and learn from challenging experiences. In contrast, today's society is often labeled as the "Generation of Glass" because many people can be easily broken by negative comments or disagreements. It seems that many people today struggle when they don't get what they want or when others don't agree with their ideas.

Let's take a moment to reflect on Joseph's journey and the difficult times he faced before finding happiness. His story is a prime example of the kind of character that this generation should strive to imitate. We can learn from Joseph's faithfulness to God, even when he was going through a difficult period and was stuck in the pit for many years.

Joseph was hated by his own family

• Genesis 37:3-4 • 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Joseph was minimized by his own blood 

• Genesis 37: 18-28 • 18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” 21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. 23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26 So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Joseph was seen as an idiot

• Genesis 39:7-20 • 7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” 10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. 11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. 13 And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, 14 that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.” 16 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. 17 Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; 18 so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.” 19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. 20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.

People took advantage of Joseph

Joseph was eventually taken to jail, but even in the midst of his imprisonment, he experienced the presence of God and was granted certain privileges. While in jail, he encountered two individuals who were related to the king and had both experienced confusing and frightening dreams. Joseph was able to interpret the meaning of these dreams for them, and one of the dreams had a positive outcome while the other did not.

• Genesis 40:20-23  • 20Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. 21 Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

However, Joseph's story doesn't end there. I would encourage you to read Genesis 41 to discover how God's faithfulness is truly amazing and how everything falls into place according to His plan.

_______________________________