July 31, 2025
Joseph – Faith That Endures
Devotions from the life of a dreamer with character
6. Joseph in Egypt – A Stranger, Yet Faithful
When people want to get rid of you – and God still has a plan
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Introduction
Joseph had arrived in a new world – completely different from anything he had known. No father, no familiar language, no loving environment. Only chains, unfamiliar faces, and a new life he hadn’t chosen. And yet, one thing stands out: Joseph did not become bitter. He didn’t cling to what he had lost – he held on to the One who had never lost him: God.
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Devotional
Genesis 39:2–3
“The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did…”
Joseph was young, gifted, blessed by God – and suddenly a slave in Egypt. He had nothing left to rely on: no home, no family, no protection, no influence. Everything that humans associate with security was gone. And yet – right in the middle of this complete new beginning, in this powerlessness, Joseph became a bearer of blessing. The Bible doesn’t say: “Joseph was strong and capable and therefore successful.” No – it says: “The LORD was with Joseph.”
What comfort! What a divine principle: God’s presence is not tied to a place – it is tied to a person. Joseph carried God’s presence with him – not because he was perfect, but because he didn’t turn away from God, but held on to Him.
No one would have blamed Joseph if he had simply adapted. If he had given up internally. If he had said: “I’m no longer in Canaan. God has forgotten me.” But Joseph made a decision that changed everything: he lived as if God was still with him. And this wasn’t just an idea of faith – it showed in his entire life:
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He was faithful in small things.
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He worked diligently, even though he received no wages.
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He resisted temptation, even though no one was watching.
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He honored God with his attitude, not just with words.
And the result? Even his pagan master Potiphar saw: “The LORD is with him.” Joseph didn’t have a preaching ministry, a stage, or a congregation – but he preached with his life. Faithfulness in a foreign land might be the most credible form of testimony.
What Does This Mean for Us?
Maybe you, too, are in your own “Egypt.” Not literally, but internally: in a place where you feel like a stranger. Maybe at a workplace where you’re mocked for your faith. In a family where you’re the only one who believes. In a phase of life where you no longer see meaning.
Then remember Joseph. God was not only with him in the highs – He was with him in Potiphar’s house, in prison, in obscurity. Joseph was not strong because he had success – he had success because he remained faithful to God, even in obscurity.
God tests our character not on the stage, but in the hidden places. In the kitchen, in the office, in the silence. And as Joseph shows: God can even use the worst circumstances to shape, prepare, and build you – if you remain. If you don’t give up. If you trust Him even in Egypt.
The question is not: “Why am I here?”
The question is: “How can I be faithful here?”
Maybe no one sees your struggle – but God does. And He walks with you – not only once you are free. But now.
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Story – The Journey Through the Unknown
Mariam was 19 when she arrived in Germany with just a suitcase, a bag full of books, and a small prayer journal. Her family lived in a small village in Ghana. The scholarship to study medicine in Europe was a dream – but also a leap into the unknown.
“You are called, Mariam,” her father had said when she left. “God will go with you, even if no one else is with you.” She had taken that seriously at the time. But when she stood on campus for the first time, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, a new language, and long days in cold lecture halls, her faith felt far away.
Everything was hard in the first few weeks. Her classmates picked up the language faster. Her roommates went partying, while she sat alone in her little room at night, reading her Bible and crying. She could barely afford to call her family. She felt invisible – a stranger in a country that wasn’t home.
At one point, she even thought about quitting her studies. She prayed, “Why did You send me here, God? I’m too weak. I can’t do this.” She didn’t expect an answer. But the next morning, there was a handwritten note on her desk – from a classmate she barely knew:
“I admire your calmness. You seem strong, even when things are hard. It’s good to have you around.”
Mariam was speechless. And then she remembered Joseph.
He too was in a foreign land. He too was invisible. He too was tempted to give up. But Joseph hadn’t given up. He had trusted God – not because he understood everything, but because he knew who he belonged to.
In the months that followed, her situation didn’t change immediately – but her attitude did. Mariam began to focus on what she did have: her education, her connection to God, her ability to serve. She started cooking regularly for other students, helped a classmate with exam anxiety, and read a psalm out loud in her room every day – to remind herself that God’s presence is real, even in a foreign land.
Three years later, she was among the top students in her class. Professors knew her not just as a hardworking student – but as someone whose character encouraged others. Most had no idea what she had been through.
But Mariam knew: God had carried her through. Not because she was strong – but because she remained faithful. Not because everything was easy – but because He was with her, even in Egypt.
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What We Can Learn from This
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You don’t have to be in a “holy place” to be close to God.
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Faithfulness doesn’t begin when everything is ideal – but precisely in foreign places.
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People observe your behavior more than you think.
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God’s blessing is not only shown in freedom – but also in faithfulness under pressure.
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You are never alone, even if you feel that way – God walks with you.
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Reflection – What Does This Mean for You?
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Where do you currently feel like a stranger or out of place?
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Is there a place where you “feel” God less – even though you know He’s there?
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What decision of faithfulness could you make today – even if no one sees it?
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Practical Steps for Today
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Read Genesis 39 and underline how often it says: “And the LORD was with Joseph.”
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Ask yourself: What does it mean for me, practically, to give space to God in my daily life – even in “foreign” places?
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Take 5 minutes to consciously pray for your environment (e.g. workplace, family, dorm) – even if it’s challenging.
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Consider how you can be a witness through faithfulness in small things – without words.
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Prayer
Lord, sometimes I feel like Joseph – in an environment that feels foreign to me. I wonder whether my faith even matters there. But today I want to trust You anew. You are with me – even in my Egypt. Give me faithfulness, perseverance, and clarity. Show me how I can reflect Your character – not through perfection, but through Your presence in me. Amen.
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Key Thought of the Day
You can be faithful in a foreign place – when you know that God sees you exactly there.
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Blessing to Close
May the Lord be with you when you feel alone.
May the Lord give you inner peace when outer circumstances are loud.
May the Lord give you strength to remain faithful where you are – and open new paths at the right time.
May He bless your heart with the assurance: You are not forgotten. You are guided.
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