His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron and his soul entered into the iron. Psalm 105:18, AMP

Little is said in the Bible regarding how Joseph felt while he was being betrayed by his brothers. In Psalm 105:18, we catch a glimpse of Joseph’s mind during his time of trial.

Cast away and as good as dead in the eyes of his selfish brothers, Joseph spent years as both slave and prisoner before becoming the rescuer of his people. During the hardest times, Joseph was kept in fetters, and his soul, as Psalm 105 reports, “entered into the iron.” When I read these words, I imagine myself in Joseph’s place. Bound by shackles made of cold, hard iron, I can almost feel my energy and my strength being drained away by the restraints. Beaten down by such horrible circumstances, my hope gives way to despair, my confidence gives way to uncertainty, and my soul falls into despondency.

Despite his condition of despair, Scripture does not record that Joseph wallowed in a pool of hopelessness. Instead, he was inwardly victorious over his outwardly defeated circumstances. Naturally, such victory prompts us to ask, “How did he do it?” The answer is that he did exactly what the psalmist said to do earlier in Psalm 105.

Joseph, no doubt, gave thanks to God for His goodness. I’m sure he sang praises to God’s name. I’m confident that he meditated on and remembered God’s marvelous works and blessings. And Joseph must have sought for, inquired for, and craved a relationship with His Creator all the day long. Focused on God and on God’s goodness, Joseph was immune to the sins of self-pity and discontentment that, from a human standpoint, he was entirely entitled to engage in.

When faced with trouble, continually put God on His throne in your heart, soul, and spirit. When you do, you’ll remove from the throne the self-pity and discontentment that seek to unseat God from His rightful place in your life, and you’ll snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

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