The Right Thing, The Wrong Results
by Jeanne Rogers
“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5, NKJV)
Have you ever done the right thing, only to be punished for it rather than rewarded? Has anyone ever lied about you or spread false rumors? Have you chosen to obey God’s Word, but the results made it look as though His promises were not true?
Genesis 39 records the dramatic story of what happened to Joseph when he honored God and honored his responsibility as steward of his master’s household. Joseph walked in obedience, no matter what the price. He expected the blessing of God for doing the right thing when his master’s wife tried to entice him into her bed. Joseph’s immediate reward for it was to be lied about, falsely accused, and thrown into prison.
Robert Morris, author of the book From Dream to Destiny, examines the many tests that Joseph experienced from the dreams of his youth to the destiny that saved many lives during a long famine. From studying Joseph’s response to the prison test, Morris concludes that our obedience to God is no guarantee that bad things will never happen to us. He shows us that we must choose to do the right thing if we want God’s presence in our lives.
Jesus warned us that while we are in this world, we will have tribulation. (John 16:33) The question is this: Will we allow the trials to do the work that God intends for them to accomplish in us? The tribulation and suffering that Joseph faced was unjust, but he didn’t allow the injustice to stop the work of God in his life.
“God had a big destiny in mind for Joseph,” Morris says, “and big destinies must be supported by big character.”
God knows that character is absolutely essential to support the destiny He has in mind for us, and we can only get the necessary character through perseverance.
In the dungeon, Joseph used God’s gift to interpret the dreams of the butler and the baker. He asked the butler to remember him when he returned to Pharaoh’s court but Joseph’s request was promptly forgotten.
Robert Morris believes Joseph revealed a character flaw when he told the butler, “Put in a good word for me when you get out of here.” Morris believes God said, “Oops! Two more years! If I deliver you now, you’ll think that man promoted you and got you out of prison.”
If Joseph was to fulfill God’s plan as ruler over Egypt and be God’s instrument of provision during a great famine, he would need total dependence on God’s wisdom and ability. Joseph’s prolonged prison term taught him to fight the good fight of faith, to persevere and focus on the bigger picture.
He could have easily become disappointed as eleven years turned to thirteen, but having God’s perspective produced hope in his heart. According to Morris, the hope operating in Joseph produced a divine appointment. In spite of many attempts to thwart his destiny--by his brothers, Potiphar’s wife, Potiphar, and the butler--Joseph kept doing the right thing.
“We are the only ones that can mess up the destiny for our lives,” Morris says. So when we go through long, difficult trials, we must rest in His grace for His timely deliverance. We must allow the problem to produce perseverance in us as we fight the good fight of faith.
God will develop the character we need as we start doing the right thing no matter how wrong our situation is. As we get His perspective, He produces hope that will not disappoint until we are carried into divine appointments with our destiny.
This Week
Make the most of tribulation when it comes your way. Allow trials to produce godly character that can equip you for fulfilling your destiny. Read II Corinthians. 4:17,18.
Prayer
“Thank you for this time of pruning and testing, Lord. I trust that you will use it to produce more fruit in my life, and I will look more like Jesus when I have come all the way through with You.”
