Growing into your calling

"Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more." Genesis 37:5-11 (NIV)
"So, when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground."
"Then he remembered his dreams about them." Genesis 42:1-9 (NIV)

Every time I read the story of Joseph; I see something different. That's the beauty of God's Word. 

Joseph shared his dreams, as a young man, with his brethren and with his father and they took offence to it because he was yet young. It wasn't until he became Governor of Egypt that those dreams would materialize. In between the pit and the palace were horrific trials and challenges, hurt and pain with losses that were insurmountable, or so he thought.

Those years were filled with learning God's way of doing things and waiting and enduring injustices. It takes years for us to be fitted properly to serve in our calling. 

There is no palace without a pit! It takes years before we gain a measure of understanding about the calling God has placed upon our lives. Some of us are called to suffer, while some are called to die for the faith. 

"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).
There is no doubt about it. However, we won't suffer in vain. God will get all the glory and praise and we will be blessed! God will give the enablement (His grace) to handle every situation He sends our way. At a later time, when you and I get the opportunity to say anything on God's behalf, it will be authentic and real. It will have the experience behind it and our words will edify and build up the listener. That's powerful stuff!

The next time someone (saint or sinner) comes at you negatively to cut you down, remember, God is preparing you to take your place in the ministry work He's called you to do. It will take a strong back and a stiff upper lip to persevere in the worst of situations. Joseph is our example. Look at the sequence of events in his life. Look how things turned out for him! It was truly an uphill climb, step by step, but God was with him!