Walking by Faith: Joseph – Trusting God Through Detours

He had the dream, but not the timeline. 

Joseph saw glimpses of greatness early in life—visions of leadership, of his family bowing before him, of divine favor. But what followed wasn’t recognition. It was rejection, betrayal, and years of being overlooked. 

For more than a decade, Joseph’s life was one long detour. But through it all, he walked by faith. 

His story teaches us that faith isn’t just trusting God when life makes sense. It’s trusting Him when it doesn’t. When the dream feels broken. When the path takes a turn. When the waiting stretches longer than you ever expected. 

Favored but Hated 

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons… and he made him a robe of many colors.” (Gen. 37:3) 

Joseph had every reason to feel confident. He was his father’s favorite, gifted with dreams from God, and given a visible symbol of status. But his brothers resented him—and their jealousy boiled over. 

They plotted against him, threw him into a pit, and sold him into slavery in Egypt. 

What must Joseph have felt as the caravan pulled away from everything familiar? The promises of God must have seemed distant. But faith doesn’t mean feeling certain—it means walking forward anyway. 

Serving in the Shadows 

“The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man… but Joseph found favor in [Potiphar’s] sight and attended him.” (Gen. 39:2,4) 

In Egypt, Joseph served faithfully in Potiphar’s house. His circumstances were humbling, but he worked with integrity. He rose to a position of trust—only to be falsely accused and thrown into prison. 

Again, Joseph was faithful. Again, he was forgotten. 

This is the part of the faith journey we don’t like to talk about—the years of obscurity, unfairness, and waiting. But those years shaped Joseph. They stripped away entitlement and pride. They taught him to serve before leading. 

God was forming a man of deep character before fulfilling the dream. 

Waiting in the Dark 

While in prison, Joseph interpreted dreams for Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer was restored to his position—just as Joseph had said. Joseph pleaded, “Remember me… mention me to Pharaoh” (Gen. 40:14). 

But the cupbearer forgot. 

Two more years passed. Two more years of silence. Two more years of wondering if God had moved on. 

But God had not forgotten. And neither had His promise. 

Elevated in a Moment 

One day, Pharaoh had troubling dreams no one could interpret. The cupbearer finally remembered Joseph, and Joseph was brought before the most powerful man in the world. 

Joseph listened. He prayed. He interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and gave wise counsel. 

In a single day, Joseph went from prisoner to prime minister. 

“Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.’” (Gen. 41:41) 

But Joseph didn’t let power go to his head. He used his position to prepare for famine, to provide for people, and—eventually—to forgive his brothers and save his family. 

His dream had come full circle. But the journey was never about power—it was about trust. 

What Joseph’s Journey Means for Ours 

Joseph’s life shows us that God’s plans rarely follow a straight line. 

We may find ourselves in a job we didn’t choose, a place we didn’t expect, or a situation we don’t understand. We may feel forgotten, misused, or passed over. But God is still working. 

The detours are not mistakes. They’re preparation. 

Joseph’s rise didn’t happen despite his trials—it happened through them. Each injustice, each delay, each difficult season shaped him into the man God needed him to be. 

That’s the invitation for us too: to trust that even the setbacks are part of the story God is telling. 

Final Encouragement 

You may not be able to see the purpose in your current season. You may feel like you’re stuck in the pit or lost in the waiting. But take heart. 

God is with you—even in the shadows. He sees what you cannot. And He is faithful to complete what He has started. 

Like Joseph, you are not just holding on to a dream. You are being shaped for something greater than you can imagine. 

So keep trusting. Keep serving. Keep walking by faith—especially when the road takes a detour.