“FROM HARDSHIP TO BLESSING”
(Genesis 39:1-41:57)
Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” – Genesis 41:50-52
Life is full of uncertainties for all of us but when you read the story of Joseph in this section of Genesis it has so many plot twists and turns it seems hard to imagine – and most of them painful. It started when his own brothers turned on him, conspired to kill him, but ultimately sold into slavery. While a slave in Egypt he was framed for a crime he didn’t commit, thrown into prison and forgotten for years.
When we read stories like this we are often disconnected from the reality of the moment. We quickly flip from page to page and miss the drama the characters are living. It has been a long and hard 13 years since Joseph was sold into slavery and likely he had a lot of questions, doubts, fears, frustrations – wondering if God had forgotten and forsaken him.
What we don’t see during seasons of waiting is that God is at work behind the scenes. He’s weaving together our story that will ultimately bring glory to Him if we are fully surrendered to His will. Pharoah had an unsettling dream that none of his magicians could interpret, so Joseph is summoned from his pit to give the meaning, and overnight is promoted from prisoner to prime minister.
Not long after, Joseph had two sons and named his first, Manasseh, meaning, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” His second son was named Ephraim, meaning, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” In naming them, Jacob declares that God has taken him from disappointment, lost dreams, brokenness, and suffering to a place of healing, fruitfulness, and blessing.
Be encouraged! As we journey through unexpected and unwanted seasons of life God hasn’t failed nor forgotten. Your plot may be thick, but your story isn’t over.
Pray for…
- Grace to trust God’s presence and purpose during seasons of pain, uncertainty, and waiting, knowing that He is working in unseen places for your good.
- God’s help to release past hurts and disappointments, allowing His peace and healing to fill your heart.
- A heart that is completely surrendered to God’s will, trusting Him to write your story for His glory.
About our Author
John A Pra was born and raised in Queens, NY and has lived almost all of his life in the metropolitan area. After graduating from Bible college (now University of Valley Forge) he entered into full-time pastoral ministry. John and his wife, Diana, have been living in Carlstadt since 1990, pastoring Cornerstone Church and now at Transformation Life Church since 2022.
John and Diana have been married for 39 years and have three children and one granddaughter (who owns them). Besides loving time spent with family, he enjoys sports, reading, travel, and the golf course.
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