"[Be] confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6 niv)
In Genesis 37, when Joseph was 17, he had a dream prophesying that he would someday rule over his brothers. This peek into his destiny filled him with self-confidence; he was a young man who was riding high. But the fact is, he wasn’t ready to rule over his brothers right then. He needed to go through some character-shaping times. And indeed, he did just that, spending thirteen years facing setbacks, challenges, and even prison. Although Joseph was forgotten by man during those times, he was never forgotten by God. Through adversity, God molded his character so that when Pharaoh appointed him prime minister of Egypt, he was ready to fulfill his God-chosen destiny.
Think about Joseph when you go through tough times in your own life. Sometimes God breaks us and allows us to hit rock bottom so He can shape us into the people He is calling us to be. Maybe the adversity is God’s way of strengthening you, teaching you, molding you, and preparing you for the great plans He has for your life.