Genesis 37:18 – 28

Joseph, the owner of a dream, was chosen by God to do great things. Before he would see his dreams come true, he was going to be horribly persecuted. Joseph’s brothers not only misunderstood him and what God was doing in his life, they hated him for the dream God had given him. Mistreatment is to be expected if you are going to dream a dream for God. Jesus suffered the ultimate persecution—and it’s not unusual for those who love God to also suffer. Jesus said in John 15:20, “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

Joseph faced the ultimate abuse at the hands of his brothers: they planned to murder him. Instead, Reuben talked them into placing Joseph into a pit, and certainly, Joseph thought his dream died as he waited to die (v. 24).

You might be in the pit of despair right now, and perhaps all of your hopes and dreams are gone. Perhaps you are struggling to have any hope as you suffer through pain and hardship. You cannot give up. God had plans for Joseph, and He has plans for you.

Think of all the people whose dreams died before they were fulfilled:

• Adam and Eve dreamed of having a son who would be the “promised one.” Cain came and was a murderer.
• Abraham dreamed of a son and it didn’t happen until Sarah’s womb had died.
• Moses dreamed of delivering Israel from bondage, but he spent three years on the backside of the desert where his dream died.
• Even Jesus Christ dreamed of delivering the world from sin, but He had to spend three days and nights of death in the earth.