Patience

Intro

Genesis 40:5-14

Patience Endures Through Trials

When You see the story of Joseph, is he bitter or resentful?

To this point he has been “killed” by his brothers, sold into slavery, built a strong empire, had it all torn down by false accusations

He experiences great evil at the hands of others. He has a right to be impatient

yet rather than seek to destruction or Pray the prayer of “God how much longer do I have to be obedient before you bless me” he is making the most of each and every opportunity presented him

He hears of these two dreams that bring great distress on these two other prisoners and he uses it as an opportunity to glorify the Lord

Joseph is unable to be rattled. He is unshaken. His obedience and his faith is not dependent on whether or not his circumstances change

He wants to leave (V. 14), but he waits for the Lord’s time

He has no record of wrongdoing or straying from the faith in Genesis. In fact, he is obedient when it appears everyone else has given up on him

Application: When we wait and trust in the Lord’s timing, our faith will always grow stronger.

Patience Reveals Our Heart

Joseph ends his interaction with the cupbearer saying to remember him

this is his ticket out. His way out of the prison life that he is unjustly taking part in

yet 2 years go by and it is radio silent. The cupbearer has forgotten.

This was not the plan. At the first sign that things could be looking up Joseph had to get excited that the end could be on the horizon. He no longer was to be in chains

but it didn't go according to plan. Rather it did the exact opposite. 2 more years of waiting were in store for Joseph.

What happened to his faith? Like surely this was the straw that broke the camel’s back

Joseph remained faithful. He was patient in the face of affliction

Application: When things go from bad to worse in life, are we patient? Do we trust the Lord so much so that we wait on him. Or do we jump ship when things keep going poorly.

Patience Produces Fruit

Joseph’s patience and his endurance to wait on the Lord ultimately led to him blessing Egypt and his family

He faithfully waited for God to do what he had always done, to provide for him.

Because Joseph was faithful and trusted what God said he would do, he remained patient in affliction

God rewarded him for his obedience. But Joseph’s patience and his obedience wasn’t for a reward, rather because he had great faith

When we encounter hardship, how quickly do we turn on the lord? How quickly do our prayers change from prayers of endurance to prayers of frustration?

Application: When we are patient and wait for the Lord and his perfect timing, we will discover the richness of faith combined with the blessings of faith as well.