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KEY TEXT: Psalm 105:19 (KJV) – “Until the time that his word came: the Word of the Lord tried him.”

Have you been returning a faithful tithe and offering but still experiencing stagnation in your life? Have you been keeping the correct Seventh-day Sabbath but still face unemployment because all jobs you have applied for require you to work on Sabbath? Have you been giving faithful service to the church but still face more challenges than those who don’t?

Have you been faithful in your marriage, doing everything right but still your partner is sticking to their wayward ways? These are a few challenges that some faithful Christians face worldwide.

Numbers 23:19 (KJV) – “God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”

God cannot lie. Lying is an impossibility to the all-powerful and most Holy God.

Sometimes when trials assail us as faithful children of God, we tend to doubt the promises of God. Isaiah 54:17 (KJV) – “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” God does not say that your enemies shall not form weapons; He promises they will not prosper. Therefore, since we are in this world that has deeply sunk in sin, challenges will always be there, but as Christians, God will help us overcome them.

Secondly, facing a present challenge does not cancel a future blessing or promise. Nothing lasts forever. Your affliction has a limited time. Therefore, make the best out of it.

Philippians 4:4 (KJV) – ^“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” We should always rejoice in God, no matter how painful our situation is. By doing that, we will be able to bless ourselves and others as well. God wants us to stand out and shine a light amidst the darkness beclouding the world.

There should be a difference between a child of God and an unbeliever facing the same problem because a child of God has hope, for he rests his life not on his efforts but on God’s promises. The unbeliever may feel sorrowful because he can’t help himself out of his powerlessness. The believer should be cheerful because he rests his powerlessness under the shadow of He who possesses infinite power.

Psalm 105:19 (KJV) – “Until the time that his word came: the Word of the Lord tried him.”

Before God manifested Joseph’s promise physically, the word of God tried him. Sometimes the Word of God will test you because God is more interested in your development than your destination. God will take you through a process. Your journey is not just about your destination but also about your development.

Joseph obeyed God and the Word of the Lord tried him. It seemed like all was working against him for a moment instead of working for him. At first, Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt by his blood brothers. This event happened after he encountered leadership and prosperity dreams. God had shown him how great he would be in the future in a dream. When he was sold to a foreign land, this dream might have looked like a hoax. When his brothers sold him, they thought they had conquered him and killed his dream.

Ellen G. White’s Patriarchs and Prophets Book, Page 213.1, comments this about Joseph after he was sold, “For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror.” As a human being, he was subject to such emotions. However, these emotions did not make him lose his trust in God. These emotions did not cause him to rebel against God. As Christians, we need to make it a constant habit to put faith and obedience above feelings.

As Christians, our negative experiences are blessings in disguise. When we are at our lowermost, God takes that opportunity to lift us to unimaginable high levels. We can find this evidence in some of the beatitudes. Here are a few examples:

Matthew 5:3 (KJV) – “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:4 (KJV) – “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

Matthew 5:5 (KJV) – “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

Matthew 5:6 (KJV) – “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:10 (KJV) – “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:11-12 (KJV) – “¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

In the above verses, God proclaims blessings for those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are humble, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

Commenting on the affliction of Joseph in Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 213.2, Ellen G. White writes, “But, in the providence of God, even this experience was to be a blessing to him. He had learned in a few hours that which years might not otherwise have taught him.”

Potiphar’s wife then tempted Joseph, and when he declined to give in to temptation, he was thrown into prison. While in prison, prisoners would find him and leave him there. All seemed not to work out for Him, like how you see your friends and enemies getting blessed before you.

“At the first Joseph was treated with great severity by his jailers. The psalmist says, “His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron: until the time that his word came to pass; the Word of the Lord tried him.” Psalm 105:18, 19, R.V. But Joseph’s real character shines out, even in the darkness of the dungeon. He held fast his faith and patience; his years of faithful service had been most cruelly repaid, yet this did not render him morose or distrustful. He had the peace that comes from conscious innocence, and he trusted his case with God. He did not brood upon his own wrongs, but forgot his sorrow in trying to lighten the sorrows of others. He found a work to do, even in the prison. God was preparing him in the school of affliction for greater usefulness, and he did not refuse the needful discipline. In the prison, witnessing the results of oppression and tyranny and the effects of crime, he learned lessons of justice, sympathy, and mercy that prepared him to exercise power with wisdom and compassion.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 218.2, Ellen G. White.

While in prison, Joseph sustained faith in God. He continued to obey God amidst the challenges. He did not know what God had in store for him. He was doing his human duty of obeying God’s commands (Ecclesiastes 12:13). While in affliction; he did not behave as most of us would, which is to pay evil for evil. The above quote from Patriarchs and Prophets tells us, “but Joseph’s real character shines out, even in the darkness of the dungeon.” The word but is a conjunction that shows contrast. This means that despite his trouble, he always displayed righteous outstanding moral principles. He was always a blessing to others.

There is a blessing whenever you give because it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). However, there is a tremendous blessing when you give from your scarcity than from your abundance. When you have abundant resources, it is easy for you to offer because you have abundant things to spare.

However, when you have scarce resources, it is difficult to give because, with scarce resources, one can barely meet their own needs. Therefore, when someone with limited resources gives, he gets more blessed than someone with great wealth because the one with limited resources sacrifices his needs for the benefit of someone else.

Mark 12:43-44 (KJV) – “⁴³ And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: ⁴⁴ For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”  

In his book, Prosperity, Pastor Adeboye says that the best time to sow seeds is during a famine. He uses this example to illustrate that the best time to give is when you are deprived. Joseph did not consider his sorrow, for he endeavored to lighten the distress of others. As a result, his burdens were lightened. His long time in prison did not seem so long because he delighted in God. Obedience to God is the best painkiller. Therefore, he passed this trial and was elevated to the most preeminent position in Egypt, and only Pharaoh was higher than him. The vanguard of his success came after he passed the test of his life-threatening trials.

Joseph was consistent in his obedience to God, and thus he proved God faithful.

“Joseph gradually gained the confidence of the keeper of the prison, and was finally entrusted with the charge of all the prisoners. It was the part he acted in the prison—the integrity of his daily life and his sympathy for those who were in trouble and distress—that opened the way for his future prosperity and honor. Every ray of light that we shed upon others is reflected upon ourselves. Every kind and sympathizing word spoken to the sorrowful, every act to relieve the oppressed, and every gift to the needy, if prompted by a right motive, will result in blessings to the giver.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 218.3, Ellen G. White.

The Word of the Lord will test you sometimes to find out how genuine your actions are. It will determine if you will stick to God in times of success and trouble. If you endure, you are going to encounter astonishing outcomes.

Deuteronomy 8:2 (KJV) – “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep, His commandments, or no.” God tried the Israelites by making them go through the wilderness to find out if they would obey Him.

Deuteronomy 8:16 (KJV) – “Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at the latter end.”

God’s purpose in allowing the Israelites to suffer in the wilderness was to prepare them for the Promised Land, and He was able to do them good in the end. “The wilderness wandering was not only ordained as a judgment upon the rebels and murmurers, but it was to serve as a discipline for the rising generation, preparatory to their entrance into the Promised Land.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 407.1, Ellen G. White.

David almost lost faith when he saw how the wicked were ‘blessed.’ However, he endured the journey and became King, among other breakthroughs he acquired.

John 9:2-3 (KJV) – “² And his disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? ³ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

All suffering was brought by sin, but not all suffering is due to a sin you have committed. Sometimes the Word of God tries faithful children of God like Job and many others. Therefore, do not despair. God is undoubtedly watching your faithfulness, and He will bless you beyond your expectations.

GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU CONTINUE BEING FAITHFUL!

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You for your love and faithfulness. I thank You for being always true to Your Word and keeping Your promises. I thank You for the afflictions that I am facing. I ask You to be with me in these trying times. Help me to never give up but to always have hope in You. Make the beautiful promises You have given me come true. In Jesus name, Amen.

Activity

Step 1: Scripture Reflection

Read the following verses slowly and prayerfully:

• Psalm 105:19
• Deuteronomy 8:2
• Romans 8:28
• James 1:2-4

Question to ponder/write down:

How has a recent hardship tested my trust in God’s promises?

Step 2: “My Joseph Moment”

Write or share:

• A short paragraph about a time you stayed faithful during hardship (like Joseph).
• How did you feel?
• What helped you stay faithful?
• What did you learn or gain from the experience?

Optional: Share your story with a group or partner. Encourage each other.

Step 3: “Faith Acts” – Putting Trust into Action (5 minutes)

List one action you can take this week that shows faith despite your current struggle.

Examples:

• Encourage someone else while I wait for my breakthrough.
• Increase time in prayer or study even when I feel discouraged.
• Give a small offering or gift despite limited resources.
• Commit to a fast for clarity or strength.

Step 4: Prayer of Endurance (5 minutes)

Pray aloud or silently:

Ask God to reveal how this season is developing you for your future.

Thank God for the test you’re going through.

Ask for the strength to endure.

Surrender the outcome to His will.

Author: Mark Alex   

Email: gettruthgetlife@gmail.com 

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