When God wants to make a person great, He isolates them, For His Glory.

I was blessed enough to have this opportunity to lead the message for Bible study today and I wanted to dive into the topic of loneliness and isolation, how God can use these feelings for the betterment of our lives and for the purpose of His glory.

Recently this has been something that I myself have been struggling with, I was feeling called to touch on this topic and to possibly turn this “negative” feeling into something that could help further the kingdom of God.

Throughout this message I’ll be drawing inspiration from the life of King Joseph. This message is a little monologue heavy with the biblical stories about Joseph, but I think it’s important to dive into these stories and see what we can take out of them. 

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We’re going to start with a couple of Bible verses that will hopefully give us something to think about while we’re diving into the story of Joseph. 

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

”The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Romans 8:35-39 NIV

”Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

Deuteronomy 31:8 and Romans 8:35-39, we find solace in the unshakeable truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Even in the loneliest hours, God's love remains an unwavering anchor for us to rely on.

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Now, Joseph, was a ruler in Egypt, however, his life wasn’t always so grand and often throughout his life we see the theme of loneliness and isolation. As a boy, Joseph was highly favored by his father Jacob, you could even go as far to say Joseph was his favorite child. 

Now, one day Jacob gifted Joseph a robe that was specially-crafted with many different colors intertwined within it and through this act of favoritism towards Joseph by his father caused a stir of jealousy and rage from Joseph’s brothers. So much so, that one day while Joseph was helping his brothers with whatever task their father had them doing, they threw Joseph in a pit and eventually sold him into slavery to a caravan passing by. In that moment, Joseph found himself far from home, alone and isolated, probably a little fearful of the trials and uncertainties that awaited him. Yet, even in the midst of Joseph’s emotions and isolation; God had a plan to use Joseph’s life for His glory. 

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I know there’s many times that I question within my own life on how God will use a certain situation for His glory and the betterment of my life and I find a lot of comfort within the words of Romans 8:28.

Romans 8:28 NIV

”And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.“

• Think of an example within your own life of a time where God used your struggles for good?

Now what we’re going to witness within the story of Joseph's life, is how God orchestrated even the lonely and isolated moments for a greater divine plan.

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Now when Joseph arrived in Egypt, he was sold to a man named Potiphar, who was one of the King’s ministers at the time. Things were starting to kind of look up for Joseph, he had found favor within his master’s eyes and was appointed to head of his master’s estate.

However, this would not last very long as Potiphar’s wife showed interest in Joseph, she found him attractive and wanted to get intimate with him but Joseph continuously refused. One day, while the two were home alone, the mistress grabbed Joseph by his robe and demanded that he give consent. Joseph, trying to think quickly and escape the situation, slid out of his robe and ran outside. 

But the damage was already done and Potiphar’s wife turned the tables on Joseph, telling her husband that it was Joseph who had tried to entice her, using Joseph’s robe as her “evidence”. This led Potiphar to place Joseph in prison. Leaving Joseph once again isolated and lonely, yet his faith in God did not waiver. Joseph stayed faithful that God’s plan would unfold in due time, no matter the tribulations that he faced.

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This part of Joseph’s journey echoes the truth of John 16:33

John 16:33

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

I think it’s important for us to remember this verse in times of loneliness, sadness, despair, anxiety because no matter what we go through, no matter the situation that we face, the Lord is above anything that comes from this world and if we rely on Him, He will not let us down.

• Think about a life event that has happened to you that made you feel isolated or alone? How did you overcome that feeling?

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While Joseph was in prison, his charisma really set him apart from the other inmates and even gained him the favor of the warden, who eventually appointed Joseph as his right hand man. One day, there was a baker and a cup-bearer who were imprisoned within the same jail as Joseph, they had some dreams and they didn’t know how to interpret them. Joseph, who always had a certain gift for interpreting dreams, helped the cup-bearer

and baker with interpreting their own; the cup-bearer would be released and the baker would be hanged. Though the cup-bearer forgot about Joseph for a time, God orchestrated events to bring him back into Pharaoh's court.

Two years later, Pharaoh himself had troubling dreams that perplexed his wise men. The cup-bearer then remembered Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams, recommended him to Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams as being a Divine prediction for seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, and advised Pharaoh to prepare by storing grain during the first seven years. Impressed by Joseph’s wisdom, Pharaoh appointed him as his viceroy, second only to the king himself, and tasked him with readying the nation for the years of famine. 

Joseph's governance during the years of abundance allowed Egypt to store surplus grain, preparing the nation for the impending famine. When the famine struck, it reached far and wide, affecting neighboring lands, including Joseph's homeland. As fate would have it, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt seeking grain. Unbeknownst to them, the brother they once sold into slavery now held the power to save their lives. Joseph, recognizing his brothers, tested their repentance before revealing his true identity. Overwhelmed with emotion, Joseph forgave his brothers, acknowledging that God had orchestrated every twist and turn in his life for a greater purpose.

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King Joseph and his life became an instrument of God's providence, exemplifying how trials and tribulations can lead to unexpected blessings. His journey from the pit to the palace stands as a testament to the redemptive power of God's plan, guiding Joseph from slavery to a position of authority and influence.

Genesis 50:20 NIV

”You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.“

I’d like us to just focus on that first part there ”You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…” There is many times within our lives that we’ll face tribulations and situations that we don’t understand. Feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression, and anxiety, that cause us emotional harm. Yet the Lord has a plan for all of it, and it’s important that in these moments of despair, that we trust in God and His sovereign plan.

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Quote of the Day:

“When God wants to make a person great, He isolates them”