God Was With Him

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Genesis 39:1–6 "Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned."

Think

If you’ve ever had a door slam in your face, or watched life unravel without warning, you know the quiet ache that follows. It's the feeling of being unchosen. Overlooked. Sent somewhere you didn’t ask to go.

That’s where Joseph lands in Genesis 39. Not by accident, but by betrayal.

He has just been sold by his brothers. Dragged in chains to a foreign land. Everything familiar has been stripped away—his family, his culture, even his language. This isn’t just relocation. It’s dislocation. Joseph is planted in Egypt, not by his will, but by someone else’s choice.

And then Scripture drops this unexpected phrase: “The Lord was with Joseph.”

Wait—what?

We might expect that line after a miracle. After a breakthrough. After Joseph is released or vindicated. But here, in the middle of his captivity, it says God was with him. Not after the betrayal. In it.

We often treat God’s presence like a reward. As if He shows up only once things go right. But Genesis turns that idea upside down. God is not waiting at the finish line with a medal. He’s walking through the mess with Joseph.

And something beautiful begins to happen.

Despite his loss, Joseph doesn’t shrivel up. He doesn’t give in to bitterness. He gets to work. And the work he does carries a different weight. His diligence has favor on it. His leadership earns trust. His presence brings blessing to an entire household.

Potiphar, a pagan Egyptian official, notices. “The Lord is with him,” he says.

Sometimes, the clearest evidence of God’s presence isn’t goosebumps or a spiritual high. It’s the fruit of faithfulness in hard places. It’s showing up when you’d rather disappear. Serving when no one sees. Holding on to hope even when your surroundings scream otherwise.

Maybe you’re in your own version of Egypt right now. You didn’t ask to be here. You’re trying to stay faithful, but nothing feels familiar. You wonder if God forgot you somewhere along the way.

But what if, like Joseph, this place is not a detour? What if it’s a field for your roots to grow deeper?

There’s a term in botany called “stress wood.” It forms when a tree is subjected to strong winds or tension. Rather than snapping, the tree grows internal fibers that help it flex and survive. The outside may look ordinary. But inside, it has become stronger.

That’s what happens in Genesis 39. The betrayal didn’t destroy Joseph. It developed him. And the development started with one truth: God was with him.

God doesn’t just show up in miracles. He shows up in the mundane. He shows up when you are doing laundry and when you are facing layoffs. He shows up when the path forward feels uncertain, and you’re doing your best just to stay steady.

God’s favor may not always feel flashy. But it is always faithful. Joseph had no idea what God was preparing for him. He just kept showing up. And every day he did, God carved a little more depth into his character.

Don’t underestimate the power of consistency in a hidden season. God often uses the least glamorous moments to build the strongest foundations. Egypt was not the end of Joseph’s story. But it was the place where God grew him into the kind of man who could carry responsibility well. And it all started because Joseph kept walking with God—even in the middle of someone else’s betrayal.

Apply

Where do you feel like you’ve been “sent” against your will? A job you didn’t choose, a situation you didn’t plan, a relationship that feels strained? Pick one area today where you’ve felt discouraged or overlooked. Write it down. Then ask God: “How do you want to use this space to grow me?” Instead of trying to escape the season, choose to lean into it. Bring your best, even when it’s hard. You might be surprised what God produces in you.

Pray

God, I confess that sometimes I measure your presence by how easy my life feels. But your Word says you were with Joseph, even in slavery. Help me trust that you are with me too—even when life feels unfair or confusing. Teach me to be faithful with what’s in front of me. Show me how to grow instead of grumble. Let your favor go with me into the places I didn’t choose and shape me into someone who reflects your presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.