‘Joseph remained a slave until his own words had come true, and the Lord had finished testing him.’ Psalm 105:19 CEV

God may not respond exactly when you want Him to, but He is always on time. ‘No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.’ (Psalm 84:11 NKJV) It’s difficult to watch God blessing others while you’re forced to wait. The Bible tells us, ‘Joseph remained a slave until his own words came true, and the Lord had finished testing him.’ God’s plan was for Joseph to live in a palace, yet for years he lived in a prison, charged with crimes he never committed. But it was there he met a butler who could speak with Pharaoh, and through this connection, he was promoted to the number–two spot in Egypt.

Understand this: when you walk with God, your opportunities for advancement are regulated by His plan, not someone else’s actions. And preparation always precedes promotion. When Elijah called down fire from Heaven on Mount Carmel, everybody admired and applauded him. But prior to that he’d spent years living through a famine, and the only friend he had was a poor widow. Together they had to trust God for every meal. That’s when Elijah learned important lessons about humility, divine guidance, and trusting God in times of need; things that don’t necessarily make sense to your natural mind.

When God is going to build something great, He takes time to lay a strong foundation. ‘Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’ (Luke 2:52 NIV) Allow yourself time to grow. Let Him build a foundation under you that will sustain you and the blessings He has in mind for you in the years ahead.

SoulFood: [bible passage=”2 Chron 29–31, John 12:20–36, Ps 118:19–29, Pro 28:5–8″ version=”esv” heading=”H3″]

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2023