Joseph's angry and jealous brothers sought to stop Joseph's dreams from coming to pass. They stripped Joseph of the special coat of many colors that his father had given him and cast him into a pit. They later sold him into slavery. Their first choice would have been to kill Joseph, but their evil devices could only go so far because a sovereign God was still in control. God spared Joseph's life by using his older brother, Reuben, to rescue him from greater harm. When Joseph finally found himself in Egypt, he may have thought that God had forsaken him all together. Yet all the while, God was moving in Joseph's life and leading him to the place that he needed to be so that He could fulfill Joseph's dreams and accomplish His own divine plan.

When God thinks of you, He thinks of someone that He loved so much that He sacrificed His only Son. He allowed Jesus to become a curse for you so that you could spend eternity with Him. You mean something to God and are special in His eyes and He has thoughts and plans for you that include a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). God has spoken good words over you. Like Joseph, you may presently be limited by circumstances beyond your control. Life may have dealt you a poor hand, and as you view the future, it may seem that time is running out for your hopes and dreams to come to pass. For whatever reason, the future seems to only hold a few years and you may wonder how God can finish His work in your life in such a short period of time.

Regardless of how you view your situation, you must not become discouraged for God is still in control and He can do a quick work. Joseph was raised from the pit to the palace in one day. His grand work lasted only a short time, seven years of plenty and seven years of lack. In this short time, however, Joseph saved a nation from destruction and his dreams came to pass just as God had promised. Also consider Jesus. His ministry on Earth was only for three years, but look at what He accomplished in that short length of time. Like these men, it is time for you to make every moment in your own life count. You may have only three short years as Jesus did to fulfill your life's call. No one knows for sure what the future holds. You must work as though God is going to keep His promises to you and you must pray expecting Him to actually answer you. You must continue to express your thanksgiving and worship God in anticipation of His manifestation. Remember that even though you are human, God is divine. Stretch your faith and your thinking, and see what becomes of your dreams, for nothing is impossible with God. He is able to bring your dreams into reality. +++