Genesis 41:40 

New King James Version (NKJV)

You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

For Meditation

Those who heard these words from Pharaoh to Joseph heard only one part of his story – his torturous journey to his exaltation in a foreign land and before all those who mattered in the kingdom. 

More than that. None of the officials of Pharaoh had any idea about what God was doing, the outworking of his redemption story – a glorious story unfolding over the years. The story of Joseph was one piece of the narrative, and there was more to come. What seemed to be a personal story was not. God was telling the story of His Son through Joseph – a story that would ultimately embrace all His redeemed and, through its reading, instruct and build our faith in Him. So, for now, we extract one applicable truth of the grand story of Joseph for encouragement.

No one can keep a righteous person down or kill their dream.

Though the detractors of the elect of God may cause them great harm, as they did several times to Joseph, God will maintain His favor with them through the highs and lows of their lives.

Yahweh chose Joseph to bring the family of Abraham to Egypt to incubate them into the nation He had promised him (Gen. 12:2). The Lord gave him dreams that showed the exaltation of his life that would bring Jacob and his family to Egypt, but his brothers missed it. Jealous of him, the brothers of Joseph did their worst to him, yet God was working to perfect the character of Joseph and, through his ordeals, to move the redemption story a notch forward. For Joseph, though, it was the workings of the divine plan and path for Joseph to a glorious future and the salvation of many beyond his family (50:20).

God is uniquely doing the same with you. Those who despised Joseph, sold him, falsely accused him, rashly condemned him to rot in prison, and forgot him despite his kindness to them, but they all came to bow to him when God raised him to his glorious end. That is because no one can thwart the plan of God, the unfolding of His story in human history, in which God blessed Joseph to be a participant by His grace.

Your unique story in this grand work of God will see the light someday, too. Never forget that!

So, don’t worry about those who make your life hell where you are. Focus on God and His providential workings in your life. Eventually, they will know who is the preferred of God.

Remember His promise to you: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11).

Shalom