Making the best of the situation is something I struggle with, and this may be a challenge for you, also. I admire those who find themselves in difficult situations yet consider the glass half full versus half empty.
I remember regularly visiting a care facility twenty-five years ago and speaking to older women. They had faced many hardships, but they remained faithful. They relied on God and rejoiced in His presence in their lives. I don’t believe I have ever met such people of faith who were so mature in their Christian walk. I felt like a sampling amongst giant redwood trees. They were refined in the hardships of life and weathered storms that brought the best out of them.
As the faithful enter heaven, the Lord has words for them. James 1:12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.[1]
Joseph Made the Best of His Situation
After Joseph was sold into slavery by his brother, the traders took him to Egypt. For Joseph, this would have been a long journey with strangers as he traveled away from his family into unknown territory. The hardships that Joseph endured must have been heart-wrenching. When he arrived in Egypt, he was sold as a common slave to Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. At age seventeen, he would have to learn a new language and eat unfamiliar foods. These many changes can be overwhelming for any person, and enslavement complicated the changes.
As you read the story of Joseph, he could have been bitter and angry yet chose to make the best of his situation. Genesis 39:2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.[2] Yes, the Lord blessed Joseph, but he chose to be a willing, moldable servant. Joseph, like all of us, had a choice to make the best of his situation or become bitter, resentful, and unproductive as a person.
Making the Best of a Situation is a Choice
We may not have had a choice about the situation we find ourselves in, but we have a choice in how we respond to it. Psalm 9:9The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, refuge in times of trouble. [3] As we look to the Lord and not our situation, He will guide and direct us and comfort and love us. Focusing on the good things about the Lord enables us to see beyond our circumstances.
To hear about making the best of the situation, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/potiphars-house
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.