Who was the cupbearer? In Genesis 40-41, he was cupbearer to Pharoah. What does this have to do with us, plenty. Do you feel like you are in a prison and might have been put there and you didn’t do anything wrong, but you are stuck? Join the crowd. At some point in our lives we can feel trapped and sometimes this is more than once.

These are usually low periods of times in our lives. Sometimes we feel loneliness, despair, grief and depression. In these times it is hard for us to even focus on helping someone else. This was where Joseph found himself. He was in prison, trapped, lonely, and away from his family, yet he still managed to reach out and help those around him. No matter where he was in this desperate journey of his, he didn’t stop being himself or sharing his gift. In fact, it was this particular time that was going to get him out of his prison.

If you go back and read the section about his life, you will find that the Lord gave him a dream. The dream was of his family bowing down to him. Now, he had been thrown in prison and it seemed like his dream would never be fulfilled. He was in a dead end place. How would his destiny ever be fulfilled? He was going backwards, not forwards. Why didn’t he just give up and be like everyone else? I believe it was the dream that compelled him on. He could sense his destiny and wouldn’t let anything or anyone keep him from obtaining it.

He learned patience and understanding while he was in prison. He began to see things from the Lord’s perspective. This was his training ground. He preparation for being second in command was complete by the time he was raised to rule alongside of Pharaoh of Egypt. He knew how to trust the Lord in every situation no matter how long it took.

In everything you do, give it your best. Keep sharing and loving. Don’t react to problems and things that don’t go your way, but rather search for understanding and wisdom. Relationships and problems can help us strengthen our spirit and soul. They can be like the weights in a fitness center. As we struggle through each one, we can get stronger. As we gain understanding, we gain patience. When we begin to understand the ways of God, we can rest from our own struggles. We begin to realize that He can see the whole picture and trust that He has our timing down to the perfect moment. He hasn’t forgotten us. He has a special place for us and it is greater than we can ever imagine. Read the story of Esther. Be encouraged today and may the presence of the Lord fill you with everything you need. Laugh at your problems, because they are in the process of being solved. Is there a cup bearer in your life? Reach out and touch someone.

Joseph