Steemit Engagement Challenge Season 8 (Week 3) ||“Silver Lining"

Hi friends ❤️

Often we used the idiomatic expression "Every cloud has a silver lining" to encourage and comfort someone or ourselves when we're passing through hard times in life. The expression means that something good may come out of a bad situation. Yeah you heard me well, something good can come out of the bad situation you facing presently, it's just for you to sit back and reflect on the whole situation, Don't be overwhelmed with the thought of the problems only, just count on the blessings too while enduring the trials then at the end you will be successful!

I'm a Christian and there's a particular Bible character I normally draw strength and comfort from when I passed through hard times, his situation is a true reflection of a silver lining, I would like to share his story with us, this might encourage, and comfort some out there.

THE STORY OF JOSEPH:

Joseph was a young good looking and energetic Boy, he was his father's beloved 😍 son. His father loved him to the extent of sewing special colorful long coats for him, this got his elder Brothers jealous of him to the extent that they sold him to strangers.

^{Joseph being sold to the Medianites}

The Midianites took Joseph to a far place, as far as Egypt there they sold him to a high official. How sad 😭 that Joseph's life drastically changed from being a beloved son to a lowly slave. Joseph was a capable young hardworking man, everything he did was successful, and because of this, he gained favor in his master's eyes. His master entrusted him with his household, he made Joseph his personal attendant and put him in charge of everything in his house.

Things turn out to be better for Joseph right? But this is not what he truly needs, he wanted to be freed and returned to his father's house. But guess what happened next? Joseph's situation got worse, yes from bad to worse, his master's wife was attracted to him and she tried to seduce him many times but Joseph rejected her advances she became very angry with Joseph and accused him of trying to rape her.

^{Joseph running away from his master's wife}

When her husband heard of this he threw Joseph into prison where he remained for some years, goodness his situation when from bad to worse, yes he went from being a trusted slave to a lowly prisoner, his feet were bound in fetters and his neck was put in irons. It was a bleak period for him, he suffered lots of injustices.

With all this Joseph did not become deviant or indulged in self-pity, as always he was hard working and he was favored by the chief of the guard, he was entrusted with the role to look after other prisoners. The officer trusted Joseph in that he absolutely worried about nothing that was in Joseph's care. Thank goodness Joseph now has productive work to occupy his mind.

^{Joseph in prison}

Once again, Joseph gains favor in prison, but that doesn't make him feel successful, he wanted to be exonerated and free. He even ask another prisoner who was about to be released to speak to the king of Egypt's pharaoh on his behalf so that he might get him out of that dreary prison. Sadly the man forgot Joseph as a result Joseph remain in the prison for more than 2 years.

God gave Joseph a special gift of interpreting dreams, while he was still in the prison Pharoah had two troubling dreams, and he desperately wants to know the meaning of the dreams it was from here that the king find out about Joseph and sent them for him. Joseph interpreted the dreams in such a way that it impresses the King, he also gave the king a piece of practical advice so the king saw that God was with this young man so he appointed in has the food administrator for all the Egyptians.

^{from a lowly prisoner to the second in command}

Later, a severe famine arose that affected both Egypt and Canaan Joseph's father's land that put Joseph in a position to save his father and preserve the line of designs that will lead to a very important person in the future. ~ silver lining!
Joseph forgave his brothers, he didn't hold them responsible for the injustice they inflicted on him, he rather see the act as a blessing, as a way God uses to save them.

^{Joseph reunited with his family}

LESSONS:

• When we face a bad situation we should try to remain calm, our strength will come from this, and we should also rely on God in everything he will encourage and comfort us and he will help us to come out of whatever problems we are facing successfully.

• Sometimes God can turn the cruel scheme of others on us, into a means by which he accomplished his will.

• I'm not saying all bad things that happened are for good reasons. But whatever it is we should always cry out to God and he will help us because he loves and care for us.

LASTLY, ALWAYS COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

the end!