How We Can Relate To Joseph In The Pit

My thoughts in this article are based on reading Genesis chapters 43-46. I encourage you to read this familiar Bible story. Thank you for being here and reading my words.

I’m reading through the Bible in a year reading plan with my girlfriends from church and we’ve been in Genesis the past few weeks. We’ve read about the life of Joseph and how God used His pain and suffering to save many lives and bring glory to His name. How can we relate to Joseph in the pit?

I’ve been mulling over one specific part in the story where Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers and they are all mouths-wide-open-shaking-in-their-sandals-shocked. After all, they threw him in a pit, sold him into slavery, and then lied to their father about his “death”. Then when Joseph finally enters a better season of life working in the house of Pharaoh, Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph and then lies about what happened and has him thrown in prison. Later on, Joseph interprets the dreams of two fellow cell-mates and then interprets the dreams of Pharoah which would warn him of an upcoming famine in the land.

All of this occurred because of their choice to throw him into a pit and wash their hands of him. And it wasn't Joseph's fault. Being betrayed by those who promise to love you is a pain you never forget no matter how many years pass.

I imagine while Joseph sat in his damp jail cell that he probably felt anger and resentment toward his brothers who had put him in this situation. Did he talk to God and tell Him how unfair it was that he was suffering? Did he beg God to kill him because he felt so hopeless? I wonder if his foot ever kicked the wall as he felt the hot rage overtake him while being forced to sit in the dark. He unfairly lost years of his life due to their cruel behavior. He would never be able to turn back time and get those years back. I bet every time Joseph heard the eerie creak of a jail cell door he shuttered at what would await him next. I also know that during that time in the jail cell, Joseph remained faithful to God as scripture tells us despite the darkness.

Then I think about the way Joseph's emotions overtake him when he sees his family for the first time. They don’t recognize him at all, but he knows them immediately. Several times in scripture it mentions that Joseph went into a separate room away from them and wept. The grief was still heavy after all of those years. Perhaps after all that time spent in prison suffering, Joseph begged God to soften his heart and help him to forgive his brothers. I feel certain that Joseph struggled with this while he was in prison although scripture doesn't directly say.

Joseph then gives them a good scare by hiding costly items in their bags (which kind of makes me giggle because we all know the fight between our flesh and spirit daily) and then asks them to bring their youngest brother back to Egypt. Finally, after getting their father Jacob to agree, they take Benjamin back to Egypt where they all get invited to dinner with Joseph. At this point, they’re shaking in their boots (or robes 😉) and wonder what will happen to them. 

I believe we all would fight against the temptation to throw them into the pit and make them suffer like we had (if we were Joseph). After all, we are all sinful humans, and often in our hurt, we hurt others. Yet as we read into Genesis further we see that Joseph is overcome with immense emotion and reveals himself to his family. Genesis 45:2 says, "And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharoah heard it." Joseph's overwhelming emotions after seeing his family after years of separation outweighed his anger toward them. He then went on to ask about his father's well-being before making another surprising statement.

Genesis 45:5-8 ESV says, "And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God."

Joseph didn't angrily throw every one of his rotten brothers in the damp dark cell he had kept warm for many days. After all, no one would have probably blamed him after what he had been through. He didn't order them to be killed, although he had the power to do so as he worked in the house of Pharoah. He wept, inquired about his father, told his brothers not to fear him, and then in the next chapter moved his entire family to Egypt.

Only God can change and soften our hearts towards those who hurt us even when our suffering cuts so deep. The way Joseph showed mercy to his brothers was only because of the power of God working in his life. In our own strength, we are not able to heal our own hearts, forgive, and show kindness to those who hurt us.

As I sit here writing this article, I want to offer hope for your weary soul. Suffering in this sin-cursed life can be so unfair. Yet the Bible says we can cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us. Even on your darkest night, when you think He has forsaken you, I hope you'll hold fast as Joseph did and wait on the day of your restoration. He uses our pain for a purpose and often it isn't the way we'd expect. Your pain today could be someone's saving grace later on down the road. They might be at the end of their rope wondering if life even has a purpose and then hear your testimony and realize that Christ Jesus is alive and ready to save them and create a new heart within them.

May we faithfully serve God even when it costs us everything we've ever known.