My pastor has been preaching a series of sermons on the life of Joseph from the Old Testament account in Genesis. I have always loved his story and actually named my son after this man of faith and integrity. Anytime my pastor does a series like this, I usually try to do some extra reading through it on my own as he often encourages us to do. I have been reading a short devotional series on Joseph that brought out the importance of a single word that really snagged my attention. I will share it in a moment but first, a quick review in case you are not familiar with Joseph’s story.
Joseph was one of twelve brothers born to his father Jacob and was his father’s favorite. Everyone knew this but it was made even more apparent when Jacob gave him a special robe made of many colors. His brothers hated him and actually considered killing him but decided to sell him to a caravan of Midianites passing through instead (Genesis 37). We pick up with his story in Genesis 37:36, which is where we will find the important word I mentioned earlier. “Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah and captain of the guard.”
Meanwhile. Beloved, a lot can happen in the meanwhile! Poor Joseph had been betrayed by his brothers who had stripped him of his special robe, thrown him in a pit (ignoring his cries while sitting down to eat), and sold him as a slave to strangers who carried him far from home. One can only imagine how he must have felt upon entering the land of Egypt and found himself sold as a slave to the captain of Pharoah’s guard. The grief, betrayal, and shock must have been overwhelming! As he entered a foreign country and became a slave, he must have thought he’d never see his beloved father again.
Poor Joseph had no idea when he entered Egypt and was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharoah’s guard that he was being put into the very place God wanted him to be. That “meanwhile” in Gen. 37:36 was one very important meanwhile. Life seemed to be falling apart as life as Joseph knew it came to an end. While he learned a new language and a new way of life as an Egyptian slave, Joseph must have wondered how and why this had happened to him. He had no idea at the time that this was all an important part of the great plans God had for his life. He had no idea what God was doing.
When we read “Meanwhile the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar” we see a very important transition in Joseph’s story. Joseph had suffered tremendous hurt and betrayal at the hands of his own brothers and now faced life as a slave in a foreign country. While we can only imagine the thoughts going through this young man’s mind, we can safely assume that at the time, he likely had no idea that this was exactly where he needed to be for God to bring about the great plans He had for his life. You see; God would eventually use this young man to save the lives of countless people.
God would eventually bring Joseph to a place of power and position where He would use him to save not only the people of Egypt but his own family as well. (I don’t have time to cover it all here, but I urge you to read his story found in Genesis 37, 39-50 for yourself!) Joseph goes through a lot in Egypt, from slavery to false accusations and imprisonment, to being second in command under Pharoah. Joseph went from being a prisoner, to being a slave, a prisoner again, and finally second in command in Egypt. God had a plan for Joseph that required the “meanwhile” of him being sold as a slave in Egypt.
Joseph was eventually able to reconcile with his brothers and see God’s hand in everything that happened. He was able to look back over it all and say to his brothers, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result- the survival of many people” (Gen. 50:20). Joseph knew at the end of it all that it was God working through all of these things to bring about what was necessary to fulfill the great plans He had for Joseph. He could look back and recognize that God had been working in the midst of all the pain and hard times he faced.
He didn’t realize it at the time; it was only years later that he could look back and recognize how God had been working in the “meanwhiles” of his life. Dear heart, it is the same way in our lives. In the midst of the pain, the stress, and the suffering, we rarely see what God is doing. We rarely understand the meanwhiles that are so very necessary to bring about God’s plans for our lives. Beloved, are you in the midst of some meanwhiles in your life? Are you facing some difficult things that you don’t understand? Are you living through pain that you never expected to deal with?
Perhaps you have felt the pains of rejection and betrayal that cut you to the core. Or perhaps, you find yourself in a “foreign” country trying to adapt to unexpected and unwanted changes. Maybe you have found yourself struggling with the weight of life-changes that you neither wanted nor chose for yourself. Whatever your meanwhile might be, my friend, please remember this. God is still working in the meanwhile. Who knows whether this painful and unexpected “meanwhile” might be the very thing necessary to bring about the plans He has for your good in the future!
Friend, I know a little something about how God works in the midst of the very things you never wanted or expected. I’ve lived long enough to see how God was working in the midst of some of the most painful moments of my life. I don’t understand them all and perhaps I never will, but I do know that I have seen enough to know He works in the “meanwhiles” of our life. I have seen and known of His great faithfulness. I have experienced His loving care in some of the “meanwhiles” I have gone through, dear one, and I can tell you this. God never leaves you to face the “meanwhiles” alone.
He never leaves you and He is working in ways you cannot yet see or imagine in these hard things you face. Whatever your meanwhile is today, my friend, hold on to hope. Refuse to give up and trust that He is still working! He has a purpose and a plan for you (Jer. 29:11; 31:17). You must trust that He has a reason for everything that He allows and remember that He can and will eventually bring something good out of the meanwhiles you go through (Rom. 8:28). Like Joseph, He puts us in the places we need to be so that He can fulfill the purposes He has for us.
Someday you may be able to look back over your life and like Joseph realize that God was using what was meant to hurt you for your good and His glory. You might be able to look back over those hard, painful parts of your story and find that they are the very thing God used to bring life to others in your life. Who knows, my friend, God might even use a few of your meanwhiles to bring life to more people than you could ever dream possible! There is no limit to what our God can do, dear heart, so hold tightly to Him and trust Him to work out all the “meanwhiles” in your life! He is trustworthy and able!
Oh, Lord GOD! You Yourself made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and with Your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You! Jer. 32:17
Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Deut. 31:6
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. Prov. 19:21
Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ Isaiah 46:10
Katrina Douglas
8/3/2022
