There’s an incredible story in the Bible about a man named Joseph. A phenomenal story of turbulence, adversity, and evidence of the way God works all things together for good in our lives. The life of Joseph provides a great view of the downside of networking, and the power of thriving in the space you are currently occupying, instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

When Joseph was just 17 years old he received a vision. In this vision, Joseph was in a position of power and notoriety. Like most 17 year olds, Joseph was eager to share this vision. He assumed his family would be as excited about his future as he was. Joseph was dead wrong. Sharing the vision made his entire family jealous. His half-brothers hated him, and planned to kill him.

One day when they got the chance, they decided they would kill him. In the process of roughing him up, one brother had a better idea. They would sell him into slavery. Joseph was sold to a group of people heading down to Egypt. Before they knew it, Joseph was gone and the brothers had some silver to spend and a story to make up for why “Joe” was a goner.

Upon arriving in Egypt, Joseph was sold again, this time to an influential man named Potiphar. Despite being jumped, beat up, and sold into slavery by his own family, God was with him. Things began to work out for his good. And as he served Potiphar, he stood out among all the other slaves. His master became very fond of Joseph and over time he became the personal aide of Potiphar. He was trusted with everything in the estate. Joseph was put in charge of all his personal affairs.

Along with being a man of character and skill. Joseph was a good looking individual. Over time, Potiphar’s wife became infatuated with Joseph. Not infatuated with his character and skill like her husband was, but instead, infatuated with his body. One day she approached Joseph and said “Sleep with me.” Joseph would have none of it. He turned the offer down, stating that Potiphar trusted him with everything and he was not going to break that trust.

She wouldn’t take no for an answer, and kept pestering Joseph, day after day. But Joseph stood his ground. He was committed to his work and to the opportunity he was given with a man of influence like Potiphar. After many attempts and many refusals, Potiphar’s wife went a different direction. She turned the tables, and made up a big lie that Joseph had attempted to sleep with her but she refused him and the only reason he stopped pursuing was because she screamed and yelled. She created a complete lie against Joseph, accusing him of something he didn’t do. She knew the story would stick though.

When Potiphar heard the lies from his wife, “This is what your slave did to me.” He was furious. Potiphar had Joseph thrown in jail. Joseph was locked up in a jail reserved for the king’s prisoners. But God was still with him. He gained favor with the head jailer and Joseph was put into a leadership position of all the prisoners. Joseph ended up in a position managing the whole operation. He was given free rein. Everything he did, God made sure it worked out for the best.

After some time, two individuals joined the ranks of prisoners. These were special men, who had unique access to the King prior to being thrown in jail. They were the King’s cupbearer and baker and had a run-in with the King that temporarily threw them in jail. Joseph was in charge of seeing their needs were met. He had unique access to people who had unique access to the King of Egypt. Perhaps it was the right place at the right time for Joseph? By this time Joseph was years removed from being betrayed by his own relatives. He had been sold into slavery twice. He also had been thrown in jail for a crime he did not commit. A winding road, But God was with him.

One night in jail the cupbearer and the baker each had dreams. Joseph was known as somewhat of a dream connoisseur and they asked him to interpret their dreams. Help them make sense of it all. Joseph predicted that the King would call these guys back to his service and they would be back at it in no time. Sure enough, a few days later it was the King’s birthday and they were freed from jail. Just as Joseph had predicted.

Joseph must have thought he caught his break. After all the nonsense with his family, and the slavery, and the lies against his character, finally Joseph was going to catch a break. Perhaps he thought THIS was why God led him through all that. This was why his story curved and flowed straight through all the adversity. It’s not hard to feel his hope and anticipation. He hoped these guys would share his name with the King and get him out of jail. He was finally going to catch a break.

Two years…

Two years later…

Two years passed… and the guys completely forgot about Joseph.

After the guys left the jail cell to return to the King, there’s no doubt Joseph had a little extra zip in his step. A little more excitement. Probably laughed a little harder at his cellmates jokes. It probably felt like the afternoon before a holiday break for Joseph. It’s not hard to imagine the desolation that took place as it dawned on Joseph that the boys weren’t coming back. His newfound networking contacts who were going to change the course of his life were nowhere to be found. He was back to his ring of keys and his role as the prisoner manager, while being a prisoner.

It wasn’t until the King had a dream one night and needed someone to interpret it. At that specific moment, the cupbearer and the baker remembered Joseph. They told the King about a man who could interpret dreams. The King sent for him at once. Joseph listened and interpreted the King’s dream. It was obvious to the King this was a special man. After the life changing experience Joseph provided the King, Joseph stood out in yet another environment. The King placed Joseph in charge of the entire country of Egypt. The King eventually told Joseph “I’m in charge of this place. But, no one will make a single move without your approval.” Joseph was 30 years old when he began to work for the King. 13 years after his vision came to him. 13 years.

Betrayed by his family. Sold into slavery.. Character defamation. Prisoner in jail. Now in charge of the entire country of Egypt. Was it his extensive network of contacts? His personal character and skill? Or simply God opening doors on his behalf? Below are a few ideas on the balance between networking and personal development, and trusting higher plans from the life of Joseph.

1.) Forget The Past

There’s no question Joseph had a lot of hurt in his past that could have dominated his countenance and servant like demeanor. Any one of the events he faced could have been carried over into his next chapter. His family deeply hurt him. His bosses’ wife made up a lie about him. His new friends in the King’s palace literally forgot he even existed for two years. Yet, on all three occasions, in his very next chapter he was promoted and noticed for the level of trust and work he delivered. In the life of a leader, if we are not able to move on from season to season and leave things in the past that belong in the past, it will interfere with thriving in the new season God has called us in to. Leave the past in the past.

2.) Make A Habit of Thriving Where You are

The life of Joseph shows us a vision of a leader who at every stop on the journey was thriving. After being sold into slavery he impressed his master enough to be trusted as his right hand man. After being thrown in jail he impressed the guards enough to be in charge of all the prisoners. In his new role in charge of the prisoners he was in the right frame of mind to serve the cupbearer and the baker. Two years later he is serving the King of Egypt. If you want to be in charge of “Egypt” someday, start by earning the trust of your current boss in your current role. If you want to control the affairs of an entire country someday, start by being entrusted with managing the people you are currently responsible to. Big things start small, no one skip steps. You may have the network, but perhaps you need two more years of development before stepping in to the role. Thrive in the current role, don’t just stare at the future role.

3.) The Timing Is Not Up To Us

I’m sure if we asked Joseph he would confide in us about those two years being pretty tough. He met people, who could have a direct impact on his situation. They were obviously key people in his evolution, yet why the two year gap? It’s not up to us to determine when God opens doors on our behalf. Instead of banging on the door and fixating on when it will open, perhaps we are better suited to dig in and continue to develop our skills. I would like to think after two more years of development, Joseph was better suited to be the leader of Egypt than if he had sulked and pouted thinking about his new contacts not calling for his services.

4.) How Prosperity Really Feels

Continually throughout the story it is clear. God was with Joseph. The only reason why we know this, is that it was written multiple times. “God was with Joseph.” The only reason why we can believe this is because it was stated. There would be no way of seeing this to be true in the life of Joseph. In fact, as all of the events transpired we would likely come to the conclusion Joseph was alone. All alone. God being with Joseph and “working things for his good” came in the form of:

Family betrayal.
Being sold into slavery.
Having someone make up ridiculous lies against him.
People believing those lies.
Being unjustly thrown in jail.
Meeting influential people, but not seeing the impact of the meeting for two-plus years.
The weight of responsibility of leading a country.

If this is the evidence of God being with Joseph. Perhaps it is time for us to reconsider the evidence of God being with us, weaving our stories, developing our visions, introducing people into our lives, opening doors in his timing.

Stay The Course,