Genesis 39:19, 20
Now it came about when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” that his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail…
Our journey contains ups and downs. The heights go into the clouds where we can’t even imagine. The downs go so deep that we can’t see through the misty bottom. Joseph couldn’t foresee from his boyhood place of comfort and honor that he would be caught in someone else’s deception. he did the right thing by running from evil. But there are times when we do the right thing that it makes people mad. They were both angry with him; she was because he wouldn’t give in and Potifar was mad, because of the manufactured story.
We will also go through dark times. Situations in which people exaggerate and get us in trouble. To further the damage, the listener believes it. I think of Ps 23, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”
We will be confused, angry and frustrated. At times it will continue.
To complete the verse in psalms, “Though art with me.” That’s the key. It won’t make us cheerful, but we will learn to trust. He is working out something much deeper. He will continue to give us the daily bread. We will still have the grief from the the angry person. But He will give us His peace, if we trust Him.
Some abandon their faith at these times. Matthew 11:6 speaks of the parable of the sower. “But when the sun came up, the plant was scorched, because it had no root.” We need to trust Him. His goodness is allowing this to teach us. We might not ever know the reason. But the roots of our faith can grow deep and strong. Just as winds cause a trees roots to be stronger, so this can make us better. It will still be difficult. But on the other side, our faith comes out like gold.
Lord, thank You that You are with us. You bring us through the valley.