From the Penitentiary to the Penthouse

From the Penitentiary to the Penthouse: When God Takes You from the Bottom to the Top

Life for Today's Christian Woman
March 10, 2014
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Genesis 50:20, AMP “As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are this day”

I’ve been going through a stretching of faith lately and asked God, what can I read in your Word that will meet me exactly where I am? Well…he led me to Joseph’s story. And rightfully so.

A few years ago, I had a series of dreams and visions that now I’m sure God used to show me (only in glimpses) what His plan for my life is. I really wasn’t sure what to make of them when they first happened. But looking back now, because I had a praying mother I’m convinced that where the devil thought he had me – God had me right in the palm of His hand all along. And although my circumstances don’t line up with what God said, I feel His pull to abide in Him no matter what.

So reading Joseph’s story at this time of my life was like water to a parched soul. I have faith in God but because my spiritual gift bent is to always look for how to practically line myself up with His Word in the natural, I rejoiced to read Joseph’s story. A long story short, Joseph has two dreams where God shows him that he will be a great and mighty ruler over a nation. Joseph tells his brothers who already hate and despise him because he’s his father’s favorite. His brothers sell him into slavery in Egypt where he advances to significant responsibility.

And here the plot thickens. His boss, Potiphar, has a wife who falsely accuses him of rape with supposed evidence. He’s thrown in jail, but is released once he interprets two dreams God gives Pharoah about 7 years of famine that will devastate Egypt. Joseph is then chosen by Pharoah to be second in command in all of Egypt. Joseph reunites with his family – who comes to Egypt to buy food to survive – and they live in the land until their deaths.

Sometimes the path we take in life looks nothing like the path we think God would have to travel on the way to our ultimate destination. But the beauty in this type of journey – whether our mistakes or misfortunes landed us there – is that we get to see God take us from the bottom to the top, just like He took Joseph from the penitentiary to the penthouse. If you don’t let being at the bottom discourage you, you’ll see the top or ultimate destination that He revealed to you. While you’re on the path, build your faith, do your absolute best and believe that despite your circumstances God will make those dreams and visions for your life come to pass.

About me: I am highly beloved of God…and so are you! I love how the Word is relevant and practical. I love God. I love the color purple. I’m also a radio show host, contributing writer and author of the upcoming book “How to Go From a Hot, Single Mess to Ready for God’s Best”.