ATTITUDE is Everything
Joseph in the bible represents a type of Christ Jesus. There are very important lessons that can be learned from his life’s story and his experiences. Many of us read his story as though it was a beautiful fiction with a happy ending, we do not comprehend his total experience. We lose face of the fact that he did not move from the prison to be the governor in one day but rather he spent many painful years waiting to be freed from prison! He must have missed his father and brother sorely and must have agonised over his brothers selling him to be a slave. Can you imagine being a royal one day and then waking up the next day as a slave who is sold just like any other commodity on the market? His life, one would expect to be miserable but it was not so because of his attitude. The following are some lessons we can learn from his life.
-
Don’t let other people’s actions or inaction cause you to lose your faith
When Joseph was sold by his siblings
into slavery, he could have lost faith in God. He could have easily lost his
faith because this happened precisely after God had prophetically revealed to
him what an awesome future he had ahead of him. When his physical location was
changed it seemed as if his destiny had changed as well but it hadn’t! He could
have allowed this to affect him but he chose to trust God to the end.
2. Don’t allow your situation or/and
environment to determine your life because they don’t.
Although Joseph was sold to
foreigners and lived in a land of strangers as a slave, he determined his
environment. He knew that God was with him and as a result everything he touched
prospered. He knew and absolutely believed in the promises of God for his life.
Thus in Potiphar's house and even in the prison he was put in charge!
3. Through all things keep your
fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
It is true that at his time Joseph
might not have known about the Holy Spirit but he took his fellowship with God
seriously. When we are thrust into situations and circumstances beyond our
control, it is fellowship that will keep us strong and focused. Fellowship
ensures that we do not lose our way. We grow stronger and matured in fellowship.
It is fellowship that gave Joseph the self control to escape sexual sin. It was
through fellowship that he grew in wisdom and gained the interpretation of
dreams.
4. Forgive and let go offenses
The most striking thing about Joseph
is that he never held on to what his brothers had done to him. First, they put
him into a well and then sold him as a slave to foreigners. He could have allowed
rage to consume him and be come bitter. This would have tied him to his past
forever. Consequently he wouldn’t have been able to move on with his life and
God’s blessing and favour would not have been seen at work in his life. You
stand in the your way of your spiritual growth, blessings and fulfilling your
divine purpose when you hold on to offense. When you hold on to hurt and offense
you open a door for demonic manipulations and operations in your life. Holding
on to hurt and offense can greatly affect your health in the wrong way. You will
also not be able to enjoy your life and live miserably. God tells us to forgive
for our own good not that of the person who hurts us. Because Joseph didn't hold on to his brothers' offense, in the end he lived the live he was destined to live. His siblings thought they were getting rid of him but they were rather thrusting him into his destiny. This Joseph recognised and so endured till the end!
0 comments