I Didn’t Ask For This

“So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe— the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.” - Genesis 37:23-24


As we continue looking at Joseph, we see the hard obstacles he begins to face after being thrown into the pit by his brothers. Here is Joseph, a boy who had just gotten a really cool jacket, just wanting to go show his brothers, and they throw him into a pit where he has no food or water.

But this is just the beginning of his problems. He is then sold to Midianite merchants who turn around and sell him to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials. Joseph then works hard for Potiphar, who puts him in charge of his entire household, only to then be seduced by Potiphar’s wife, where Joseph declines and stays honorable to Potiphar.

However, Potiphar’s wife lies and says that Joseph slept with her, so Potiphar throws Joseph in prison. Then, after being in prison, Joseph correctly interprets the dreams of two men who go to see Pharaoh. Joseph asked the men to tell Pharaoh about him and get him out of prison, but they forgot. And so, Joseph remained in prison.

Now, things worked out for Joseph, and he became second in command to Pharaoh. But that was not without a lot of adversity along the way. And you know what? Joseph never asked for any of it!

Perhaps you can relate. Maybe the circumstances you find yourself in right now are not great, and you didn’t ask for them. But remember, neither did Joseph. In order to become who God predestined him to be, and in order to live out the dream he had at a young age, Joseph had to go through all that he went through.

It was not easy, it was not comfortable, it was not fun, and he definitely did not ask for it. But Joseph knew it was exactly God’s plan. Maybe what you are going through is not something you asked for, but perhaps it is part of God’s plan. And for you to get where you want to go, you have to experience the things you didn’t ask for first.