God is not the author of evil, nor does He approve of the brokenness, jealousy, or betrayal that can mark our lives. Yet, He is the master of redemption, weaving even the most painful and unjust moments into His greater purpose. Joseph’s story is a powerful reminder that God can use the very things meant for harm to bring about good, not because He condones the wrong, but because He is faithful and powerful enough to redeem what has been ruined. When we face suffering or injustice, we can trust that God is still at work, quietly weaving His plans into the fabric of our lives, even when we cannot see it. [23:34]
Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Reflection: Think of a painful or unjust experience in your life—how might God be inviting you to trust Him to redeem that situation, even if you can’t see how yet?
Throughout Scripture, God’s greatest works often begin in places of obscurity and pain. Joseph’s journey started in a pit, betrayed by his own brothers, and left alone in a foreign land. Yet, it was in these hidden and painful moments that God began preparing Joseph for something greater. The same is true for us: what looks like disaster or loss may actually be the start of a process God is using to shape us for His purposes. When we find ourselves in the “pit,” we can remember that God is not absent—He is present, working in the background, and beginning something new. [22:10]
1 Samuel 16:11-13 (ESV)
Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
Reflection: When have you experienced a hidden or painful season that later became a turning point in your faith or character? How might God be working in your current “hidden” places?
When life is uncertain and the future is unclear, God does not require us to know the whole plan—He simply calls us to take the next right step. Joseph did not know how his story would unfold, but he learned to trust and obey God in each moment, even when he could not see the outcome. We, too, are invited to focus on what God is asking of us right now, rather than being paralyzed by the unknown. Sometimes, the next right thing is simply to trust, to obey, or to depend on God more deeply, knowing that He is working out His good purposes in ways we cannot yet see. [29:30]
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Reflection: What is one “next right thing” God is prompting you to do today, even if you don’t know where it will lead?
Joseph’s journey was marked by repeated setbacks, betrayals, and losses, yet each time he faced weakness, it became an opportunity for God’s strength to be revealed. In the upside-down economy of God’s kingdom, our felt weakness deepens our dependence on Christ, and the harder we lean on Him, the stronger we grow spiritually. Rather than striving to be strong on our own, we are invited to embrace our weakness and trust that God’s power is made perfect in it. [27:21]
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Reflection: Where do you feel weak or inadequate right now? How can you lean into God’s strength instead of your own?
Joseph’s story is not just about surviving the unknown, but about how God’s redemption story is always bigger than our pain. Even when betrayed by those closest to him, Joseph’s trials became the very means by which God saved many lives—including those who had wronged him. This points us to the ultimate redemption in Jesus, who was betrayed and suffered, yet through His pain brought salvation to the world. When we cannot see how our suffering fits into God’s plan, we can trust that He is still writing a story of redemption that is far greater than we can imagine. [25:24]
Acts 2:22-24 (ESV)
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”
Reflection: How does knowing that God’s redemption story is bigger than your pain change the way you view your current struggles or disappointments?
Genesis 37 opens the door to a story that is both familiar and deeply unsettling. Joseph’s life, often romanticized in childhood retellings, actually begins in a family marked by dysfunction, favoritism, and rivalry. Jacob’s open preference for Joseph, the son of his beloved Rachel, sets the stage for division and jealousy among the brothers. Joseph himself, far from being a model of humility, displays youthful arrogance—boasting about his dreams and acting as the family informant. If God had elevated Joseph to leadership at this stage, he would have been ill-equipped, lacking the maturity and character needed to steward such responsibility.
Yet, the story takes a dark turn as Joseph’s brothers, driven by envy, plot to kill him. Instead, they sell him into slavery and deceive their father with a bloodied robe. The pain Joseph experiences is not the result of distant enemies, but of those closest to him—his own family. This is a sobering reminder that some of our deepest wounds come from those we expect to love us most. In the pit, stripped of his security and future, Joseph is utterly alone. But even in this hidden, painful place, God is not absent.
God does not author the evil in Joseph’s story—He does not cause the betrayal or the injustice. But He allows it, and in His sovereignty, He redeems it. God weaves even the broken threads of human sin and suffering into His larger tapestry of redemption. This is not to say that wrong becomes right, or that pain is trivialized. Rather, God’s faithfulness is such that He can bring good out of what was meant for harm. Joseph’s journey from the pit to the palace is not a story of instant triumph, but of God’s quiet, persistent presence in the unknown.
This pattern is echoed throughout Scripture, culminating in the story of Jesus, who was betrayed and crucified by human hands, yet whose suffering became the means of salvation for many. When life unravels and the future is uncertain, the call is not to understand every step, but to trust God’s heart and take the next right step. Weakness and uncertainty become the very places where God’s strength is revealed. The invitation is to obedience in the present, trusting that God is working—even when we cannot see it.
Genesis 37:1-36 (ESV) — (Read the full chapter together, focusing on the family dynamics, Joseph’s dreams, his brothers’ betrayal, and Joseph being sold into slavery.)
Acts 2:22-24 (ESV) — “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Oct 21, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?
Add this chatbot onto your site with the embed code below
<iframe frameborder="0" src="https://pastors.ai/sermonWidget/sermon/joseph-story-trials-genesis-37" width="100%" height="100%" style="height:100vh;"></iframe>Copy