Through seven years of plenty, he had to convince the Egyptian people to build a stock pile of their harvest. When he provided an interpretation, Pharoah released Joseph from prison and made him leader over all the people, to lead them through the coming famine. He stayed in the prison for more than two years, until he had an opportunity to interpret Pharoah’s dreams. While in prison, Joseph again earned favor and was placed in charge of the other prisoners.

Round 3: Finally released from prison, only to endure a 7 year famine Joseph was thrown in prison, stripped again of all honor and respect. Then, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him and, when he rejected her, she lied to her husband that Joseph had tried to attack her. His life seemed to be getting back on track and recovering from his early setback. Joseph got back on his feet and became Potiphar’s trusted household manager. He survived that harrowing ordeal and ended up in the household of Potiphar, one of Pharoah’s officials. Stripped of all familial love and the special coat his father had given him as a sign of honor and blessing, he was rejected by those who should have loved him most. His own brothers, plotting to kill him, threw him into a well and then opted to sell him into slavery instead. Round 1: Sold into slavery by his own brothers

His life reads like a boxing match, each rounding ending with Joseph nearly knocked out, yet he stands back up and continues fighting. Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, knew about getting knocked down. When we feel like life just keeps knocking us down and we’re not sure we can keep getting up again, we can take hope from Joseph.

Get back up again tobymac