Everyone wants to be successful. Those of us who serve God desire to be successful in the things of God. So we work, plan, strategize, and hope for the best. There is nothing wrong with working, and planning, and strategizing. If we are not careful however, God will be left out of the plans. Even worse, we can actually generate some "success" pragmatically but actually be a failure in God's eyes.Genesis 37 and following give the account of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob. The Bible says his father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him for it and could not speak peaceably to him (37:4). Joseph had a dream, that he would rule over his brothers, and he told them so, and they hated him even more. Of course the dream was a word from God of what was to come but the brothers did not see it that way.
Joseph was subsequently sold to Ishmaelite traders, who in turn sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh in Egypt. This was according to the sovereignty of God because the land of Canaan would undergo a severe famine. But the land of Egypt would be prepared for it because of Joseph, and his following the leading of God. He went to Egypt as a slave, and was exalted to a position of authority, all by the power of God.
Several verses in chapter 39 are insightful regarding the importance of the presence of God in Joseph's life:
v2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man.
v3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Even when Joseph was imprisoned falsely, after refusing to sin against God and sleep with Potiphar's wife, the Bible says in v21 The Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
v23 The Lord was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.
Eventually he was set over all the land of Egypt. He would be able to provide for his brothers who had sold him into slavery by the providence of God.
What was the key to success? Was it Joseph's good looks? Was it his abilities? Was it his clever strategies? No, the key was that the Lord was with him, so he was successful and prospered. That which God prospers and makes successful brings glory to Him and He gets the credit for it.
My prayer is that the Lord would be with me, and that I would be successful and prosper because I am living out His will for my life. I hope that is your prayer as well.
