Hey Joseph! Did You Know?

There has been a thought that has been lingering in my mind for a few months now. The thought grew and it has morphed in to a whole question that if I had a chance I would ask the person that the thought is about. 

A few months ago I told the story of Joseph to the kids during our church's Harvest Festival. Reading the whole story and studying it again made these questions stand out in my head and I really want to know "Did you know?"

​Do you ever reflect back on your life and look at all the things that you walked through to get you where you are? How you really felt like there was a purpose or plan that God had given you, but then your world just crumbled. Then it would seem like things were going well again and it crumbled again. And repeat.

---

I wonder if Joseph knew that when he dreamed his family would bow down to him one day that his brothers would seeth with anger? Did he know that his brothers would plan to kill him? I wonder if he knew that he would be sold in to slavery? Did he know that someone would lie about him? Did he know that he would be thrown in to prison? Did he know that someone would promise to remember to help him, but then forgot about him? Did he know that life would be very, very cruel to him when he had that dream?

I wonder, because Joseph remained faithful to God.

When he was in the pit, he was faithful.

When he served in Potipher's house, he was faithful.  Not just to God, but to Potipher as well.

When he was thrown in to prison, he was faithful. 

Joseph saw many downs. He saw some hopeful things and occasionally things would look up, but then it would crash down again. As I mentioned before, he wasn't just faithful to God. When Potipher bought him he was faithful and a good steward and rose to a place of taking care of Potipher's household. When Joseph was thrown in to prison, he was faithful and a good steward and was given the honor of caring for the other prisoners.

I wonder if Joseph knew that his dream really was from God? Did he know that the dream wasn't for him, but that it was about God using him to save a nation? Did he know that all these things were happening to him in the moment to take him where he needed to be?

I want to ask Joseph if he knew? If he did, is that what made it easier to remain faithful? A good stewart? If he didn't, did he sometimes doubt God? Did he question  "why me"?

I know I have asked this question. I have felt a dream in my heart from God for a long time, but it seems like I see things turning positive and then everything crashes down again. I feel like I question to often. What is happening? What is going on? Where is that trust that Joseph had? That peace? 

Maybe you have been or are there too.

One day (or maybe you are like me and not quite at the one day yet) you look at where you are and know that God put you there to orchestrate something big. Maybe you don't save a nation, but maybe God uses you to reach one person. That one person that only you could reach because you have a story to tell.