I sipped an Iced Americano while a young couple told me stories full of smiles and laughter. We were sitting in big leather chairs at a coffee shop on the outskirts of the city. We gathered to discuss their dream come true — the perfect wedding at a beautiful venue. I was officiating their ceremony, so we were planning their wedding, discussing their vows, and ensuring there wasn’t a dove release. (I’ve heard horror stories of birds turning on the wedding party.)
Talking to them was like talking to the human embodiment of a Pinterest board. They had every detail planned with perfect precision. The flowers, venue, menu, dress, and DJ were all lined up a year in advance. This was going to be the greatest wedding this little town had ever seen.
There was even a Krispy Kreme flambé station where a chef would light a donut on fire before crafting it into an ice cream sundae. How spectacular is that?
Everything was going to be perfect, but we hit a hiccup on the day of the wedding. A flood- inducing rainstorm tore through the state. It’s pretty hard to light a donut on fire during a monsoon. After a short mourning session, the bride led everyone through plan B. Regardless of the storm, the ceremony was still lovely. The giggly couple was happily married, but their dream wedding looked different in the end.
It’s possible to have a perfect plan and still experience a setback. You can do everything right and still face failure, backup plans, and conflict. That’s just the nature of life. This was evident for our friend Joseph. After working his way up to become a high-ranking official of the palace, the ruler’s wife attempted to persuade Joseph into questionable behavior. She tempted him, but he resisted. His hard-to-get approach made her angry. After refusing her advances, she accused him of assault. This made Potiphar’s blood boil, so he threw Joseph into jail (Genesis 39:20). Joseph did everything perfectly, but still ended up in prison.
Talk about a rollercoaster of a story. Joseph was sold into slavery, rose the ranks in the royal family, tasted success, and then he was thrown into jail. Every passage represents a new twist and turn. Joseph went from pit to palace to prison. He traded in his colorful cloak for a prisoner’s jumpsuit.
It’s easy to think, “Why has God abandoned Joseph?” To keep it simple—He didn’t. This passage explains that “The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:23). Yes, he was in prison. Yes, he watched his life collapse because of a lie. Yes, he was only eating stale bread and drinking murky water. However, God was with him and he still saw success. He just had to redefine it. The guards eventually allowed him to oversee the jail. Sure, he wasn’t leading a palace, but he was leading a prison.
God wants you to win, but you have to be willing to win where you are. Even if you find yourself in a circumstance that feels like a jail cell, know that God wants to help you succeed right where you are. Those prison moments may protect you. Those prison moments may prepare you. God isn’t waiting for your circumstances to change. He’s just waiting for you to turn to Him, then He will help you.