Good Company

“Now Joseph had a dream . .” ~Genesis 37:5

And so it begins! As God-sized dreamers, we can identify with the story of Joseph. With trembling knees, we’ve bravely stepped into our dreams, believing they’re truly from God. We’re sticking out our necks, taking risks and, like Joseph, probably even receiving some ridicule. God gave Joseph literal dreams, and Joseph dared to believe them!

God’s dreams for Joseph weren’t just for him, just like our dreams aren’t only for us. Through Joseph, God would save His people and establish the line of His son Jesus. They were BIG God-sized dreams, and Joseph was excited. So excited, he talked about his dreams . . . a lot.

I imagine the path God chose to get Joseph to his dreams wasn’t anything like Joseph dreamed it would be. Joseph’s path was full of betrayal, hardship, lies, and many other difficult circumstances. At face value, his circumstances must have seemed in direct opposition to the dreams God had planted in his heart. Along they way, I’m certain Joseph had times of serious doubt.

God gave Joseph his dreams, and Satan, God’s enemy, wanted to steal them. We also have a real enemy, and when it comes to people believing in their God-sized dreams, our enemy is threatened. As you courageously step toward your dreams, you go on the offense in the spiritual battle. {<====click to tweet} Your enemy will do all he can to defend “his” territory. And because you’re being brave, he’s got to get strategic.

In my experience, he’s often pretty subtle. These are a few of the things I’m learning. And while I still occasionally get tripped up by the enemy’s strategies, remembering these help me not to become entangled and stuck!

BE FAITHFUL WHERE YOU ARE

Be faithful in your present duties, relationships, and commitments. When the God-sized dreaming going gets tough, it’s easy to begin yearning for another place or set of circumstances. Our ambition can blind us to the possibilities right in front of us.

The word ambition has strong connotations. For some it’s motivating. To others it’s practically a dirty word reeking of pride and self-sufficiency. I believe it is a tool that can be both constructive and destructive.

If my ambition blinds me to the opportunity of my present circumstances, it’s a robber. {<===click to tweet} If it tells me certain people in my life don’t matter, it’s a liar. But if ambition humbles me as I look at a God-sized dream that is bigger than me and my resources, it is a lens. It clarifies my reality and places where I’m going to need some God-sized help!

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. ~Genesis 39:1-6

While the life he was living was hardly where he dreamed he would be, Joseph worked hard in his master Potiphar’s house. He was noticed and given a position of trust.

He was faithful even as a slave.

DON’T DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS

When you’ve set out to follow your God-sized dream, it’s tempting to disregard the small. The lie is that what’s “out there” is what’s necessary to make the dream come true.

But more often, it’s what’s right here that is rich with the resources you need. Even the “bad” stuff. Consider all the growth that happens in our trials. More than anything, we come to depend on God in ways we wouldn’t otherwise. Our trials reveal our weakness and make us lean in hard to our Father. {<===click to tweet} And believe it or not, that’s the sweet spot when it comes to venturing out in our God-sized dream.

The people “out there” can seem so much more attractive when we start dreaming. “Our” people can seem small. But when we minimize or maximize people (even ourselves), we are in danger of idolatry. Every person derives their value from their maker. Every person in my story is valuable to me because God put them there . . {<===click to tweet} . . even the ones who sometimes feel like a big, immovable boulder blocking the path of my God-sized dream.

Joseph went from being a slave to a prisoner by no fault of his own! But even in prison, God’s favor still found him, and Joseph honored God right where he was. When two fellow prisoners were discouraged by confusing dreams, Joseph’s response was, Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me. ~Genesis 40:8 He used his gift right where he was.

REMEMBER GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL

Stepping out into God-sized dreams is a big step. If we’re not careful, we can begin to imagine that all the rest of the steps are ours to make all alone. Our dreams become dependent on our courage, our hard work, our connections, our self-discipline, etc. When it’s all about us, it doesn’t take long to arrive at the end of ourselves worn out and discouraged.

But God is and always has been the One in control of our lives and all our dreams. He planted them in our hearts, He nurtured them with love and truth, He brought them to life, He gave us the courage to take that first step, He even designed our trials to equip us to keep walking, and He will complete the good work He began in and through us.

He is sovereign and He is good.

I think the most amazing part of Joseph’s story takes place in the Pharaoh’s court. Joseph has gone from dreamer, to slave, to prisoner, to second in command of one of the greatest civilizations in history. And now his perpetrators, the ones who started his whole downward spiral, his brothers . . show up.

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”
~Genesis 45:4-8

Did you see it? The guilty party has arrived, Joseph reveals himself to them, but does he blame them for sending him to a life as a slave and a prisoner? No!

Instead, Joseph blames/credits God for sending him there. Three times! Look!

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”
~Genesis 45:4-8

Joseph acknowledged God’s sovereign plan through all his trials. Could this be the secret to Joseph’s steadfast faithfulness to God as well as his persevering belief in the dreams God had planted deep in his heart?

Throughout his crazy journey, Joseph trusted God and thereby believed his God-sized, God-given, God-sustained, God-delivered dream would come true!

Dreamer, you’re in good company!

Shared by: Kim Hyland