The story of Joseph is a story of trusting in God’s promises, even when the going gets tough.
Trusting in God includes believing that our setbacks and disappointments are part of God’s Plan for us and are actually propelling us forward. Joseph was a slave. Joseph’s own family was the reason he was a slave. He was at the bottom of the pecking order. Joseph was in prison for 13 years. He rose, slowly over time, to become overseer of Potifear’s house. All of these experiences were hard. I’m sure they were not fun. However, these experiences prepared him and refined him for what was to come.
I am impressed that the scriptures continually remind the reader that the Lord was with Joseph. I wonder if it was difficult for Joseph to see the Lord’s hand in his life during these difficult trials. Clearly, the people around him saw that the Lord was with him and trusted him. Potiphar trusted him so much that he left all that he had in Joseph’s hands. Potiphar’s wife lied and he was back in prison. Again, Joseph earned trust. People trusted Joseph because God was with him.
Many years later, a great, great, I don’t know how many greats, grandson, Nephi wrote about his afflictions and yet felt he had “been highly favored of the Lord in all [his] days” (1 Nephi 1 :1). I like to think he learned to separate trials from his perception of God’s approval from great grandpa Joseph. He clearly saw through the trials and trusted God. Nephi, like Joseph, remembered that God sees all things and that His purposes for each of us include challenges and growth experiences. They trusted God, even when the going got tough.
It is an interesting pattern: Joseph is placed in a challenging situation, Joseph earns his leaders’ trust. Joseph’s success is a reflection of his relationship with God. Joseph’s character was shaped through his relationship with God. Others believed he could be trusted.
I think King Lamoni saw this same characteristic in Ammon. Ammon could be trusted. Joseph and Ammon could be trusted because they were true to their word. When they were asked to do something, they did it to the best of their ability. They built up trust with the others around them because they were faithful.
No wonder God asks us to make covenants with Him. Every covenant is an opportunity to build trust. God knows we are not perfect, flawless and sinless. He also knows that if we want to have a strong relationship with him, we can be successful in building a strong relationship by making and keeping covenants, promises to Him to do our best.
God loves us. He trusts us. He is constantly giving us opportunities to change and to become more like Him. He doesn’t stop loving us when we screw up or fall short. He encourages us to stand up, dust off, and try again. He wants us to have integrity and be people who can be trusted because we love Him and want a strong relationship with Him. He wants us to build His trust.
Today I will work to see afflictions, inconveniences, frustrations, anguish, and heartache as opportunities to draw closer to God and to build my trust in Him. I will strive to be trustworthy. I will follow through with the commitments I make with others and with God.
Resigning as the General Manager of the Universe 