Feb 03 34_The fruit of the Spirit is patience
34_The fruit of the Spirit is patience Gen 39:20 - 40:4 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. Gen 40:1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody. In the 1950s and 60s, Christians in China endured unimaginable persecution. Among them was Chen Minying, later known as George Chen. This devout believer was subjected to horrific treatment in prison. The authorities assigned him to compost human waste. While carrying out this humiliating task, Chen turned it into an opportunity for worship. In his own words, "I was actually happy. I could pray and sing loudly because the stench kept everyone away." This powerful testimony reminds us of Joseph, who transformed bitter experiences into hope and patience. Joseph, betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery, rose to become the trusted manager of Potiphar's household. But when falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, he found himself thrown into prison—a place that could have crushed his spirit. Yet, the account in Genesis tells us repeatedly, "The Lord was with Joseph." This divine presence sustained him constantly. Whether a slave in Potiphar’s house or a prisoner in Pharaoh’s jail, Joseph trusted God to fulfill His promises. He did not turn away from his faith when personal gain or comfort were threatened or lost. His eyes were on the Almighty, Lord of heaven and earth. His trust gave him courage and hope for each day. In the prison, Joseph’s diligence and character brought him into favor with the warden. He was put in charge of the other inmates. Proverbs 22:29 echoes this, “Do you see a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men” Even in physical chains, Joseph’s life proceeded according to God’s plan. Joseph’s patience came from his spiritual sight of God’s greater plan, beyond his immediate suffering. His clear vision of God left him free to love others. In prison himself, he noticed and enquired about the sadness of his fellow-captives, the royal butler and baker. His kindness and discernment,