“The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man.”

• Genesis 39:2

There is no better place to serve God than the place where He has placed you.

There is no flawless job, faultless family, or pain-free season in this life. When we search for the “ideal” set of circumstances, we forget that perfection is reserved for heaven—and we set ourselves up for constant disappointment.

Joseph’s life makes this plain. Once the cherished son of his father, he suddenly became the property of slave traders. The safety of home was replaced by chains. Few of us will experience such a dramatic collapse, yet all of us know what it is for circumstances to change—through loss, hardship, sickness, or upheaval.

What sustained Joseph was not escape, strength, or strategy. Scripture says simply, “The LORD was with Joseph.” God did not protect him from his circumstances; He protected him in them. Joseph was kept by God’s presence.

This is our hope as well. We instinctively ask God to change our situation, remove the trial, or give us a way out. But no change of scenery can deliver us from trouble. Our only true refuge is the Lord Himself (Psalm 11:1).

God could have written Joseph’s story differently. Instead, He chose to work through suffering, bringing His servant “through many dangers, toils, and snares.” The Lord was with Joseph in the slave caravan and in the marketplace, just as surely as He was in the household where Joseph later prospered.

And this same Lord has come to us in Jesus Christ. The One who entered our suffering, bore our sin, and rose in victory now promises, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Where has God placed you today? How might your circumstances look different if you believed—deeply and daily—that Christ is with you there, and that His presence is your greatest protection?

• Devotional thoughts come from Alistair Begg’s book “Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions: Volume One.”

Prayer:

Gracious Father, thank You that You do not abandon us in the valleys but meet us there.

Forgive us for trusting in better circumstances more than in Your faithful presence.

Teach us to rest in Christ, who is with us always and sufficient for every moment.

Give us faith to serve You where You have placed us, and eyes to see Your good work even in the trials we would not choose.

We trust You, for You are with us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.