Grace in the Middle of Adversity
“This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.”
— Genesis 39:4 (NLT)
I thought I was finished writing on grace, but I couldn’t let this one slip away. In the passage above, we see Joseph standing in grace in the midst of intense adversity. From the very beginning of his story, we read about one attack after another coming against him.
Satan is always looking for a way to get us offended and cause us to abandon our post before the call God has placed on our lives is complete.
Joseph’s Journey of Grace
Joseph’s journey of adversity began the moment his father gave him a special coat:
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.”
— Genesis 37:3–4 (ESV)
Joseph simply received a gift of love from his father — and immediately, Satan stirred up jealousy and hatred in his brothers.
Because of the favor on Joseph’s life, his brothers’ hatred led them to plot his death. The very person God had ordained to save their lives was the one they wanted to destroy:
“When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. ‘Here comes the dreamer!’ they said. ‘Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns.’”
— Genesis 37:19–20 (NLT)
His own family sold him into slavery — not because of anything he had done wrong, but because of the favor that was on him.
Even in slavery, God’s favor continued to rest upon Joseph:
“The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.”
— Genesis 39:2 (NLT)
Despite being falsely accused by his master’s wife and thrown into prison, Joseph still stood in grace — and even there, the Lord blessed him.
Grace as Our Defense
Joseph’s life teaches us that even in seasons of opposition and offense, we can stand firm in the grace of God. Grace will not only bring us favor but will also be our defense.
In the middle of adversity, Joseph leaned into grace — and grace carried him through. We must recognize the power of grace as a divine gift. No matter what we face, grace enables us to stand.
Key Takeaways
When adversity shows up, stand in grace.
When you feel defenseless, stand in grace.
When you’re treated unfairly, remember — grace still protects you.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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