“Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Jospeh’s character.” —Psalm 105:19 NLT
tests.
“One night Jospeh had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever.
‘Listen to this dream,’ he said.
‘We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!’” —Genesis 37:5-7 NLT
“His brothers responded, ‘So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?’ And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.” —Genesis 37:8 NLT
“Until the time came to fulfill his dreams…” —Psalm 105:19 NLT
our
“Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Jospeh’s character.” —Psalm 105:19 NLT
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance––an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” —1 Peter 1:3-6 NLT
“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold––though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” —1 Peter 1:7 NLT
God uses test to
“The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall way as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s Word.” —Mark 4:16-17 NLT
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” —James 1:2-4 NIV
allow your
“The Lord was with Jospeh in the prison and showed him His faithful love.” —Genesis 39:21 NLT
Discussion Questions
Reflecting on Psalm 105:19, how do you see God’s purpose being fulfilled in Joseph’s life through his trials? Can you identify a time in your own life when a difficult situation led to a greater purpose?
Consider the various hardships Joseph faced (betrayal by his brothers, false accusations, imprisonment). How did these experiences shape his character and faith? In what ways have your own challenges shaped you?
Joseph remained faithful to God despite his circumstances. What can we learn from his example about maintaining faith during difficult times? How can we apply this to our own lives?
How did Joseph’s attitude and actions during his trials prepare him for the role God had for him in Egypt? What does this teach us about the importance of our response to adversity?
Discuss how God used Joseph’s trials to ultimately bring about a greater good (saving many lives during the famine). How can this perspective help us view our own difficulties in a different light? Can you think of an example where a challenging period in your life led to a positive outcome for yourself or others?
Genesis 39:21 states that “the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love.” How did God’s presence and favor manifest in Joseph’s life during his time in prison? How can recognizing God’s presence in our own difficult circumstances strengthen our faith and character?
In Mark 4:16-17, Jesus speaks about those who quickly fall away when trouble or persecution comes because they have no root. How does this contrast with Joseph’s response to his trials? What can we learn from Joseph’s example about developing deep roots in our faith to withstand difficulties?