A Dungeon of Despair and Discouragement

Genesis 40 20-23

(Part 3 of 3)

So, what we have going on in this message is simply that the cup bearer and the baker get thrown into jail, alongside Joseph and they have dreams and Joseph interprets the dreams. I think it’s interesting that one is good, and one is bad, but they both had very specific dreams and that within three days their dreams would be fulfilled, and in the verses that follow, we find out if Joseph’s interpretations are correct.

So, two dreams – two interpretations, what happened next? Verse 20.

“Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: he restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand – but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

(Genesis 40: 20-23)

This part of the story is self-explanatory. It’s the Pharaoh’s birthday, and apparently that inspires him to throw a feast, and where there a feast we need a baker and a cup bearer again. He brings them both before him and the poor baker is killed, and the cup bearer gets restored to his old job. The cup bearer is back in his old job of handling the cup before it handed in Pharaoh’s hand. The poor Baker, Pharaoh must have decided he was the one behind the problem they had, however, the point for us to notice is that Joseph interpreted the dreams exactly right. This chapter ends with the cup bearer forgetting to put in a good word about Joseph, like he promised. Why he forgot we don’t know, it’s possible that he it was just something like he put it off initially then forgot. Maybe he didn’t want to upset the king or remind him that in the past he had had a reason to throw him into jail. Maybe that’s going on, or maybe he has a selfish character flaw that he just didn’t care once things had worked out for him. At any rate. He didn’t tell.

I couldn’t help but read this and think about the emotional battle Joseph must have been fighting. Put yourself in his shoes, especially in verse 23, they forgot about him. Joseph must have been feeling along and forgotten. I have heard account of stories, some first had, where people had attempted to take their own lives, they attempted suicide because they felt nobody cared.  The say, “no one cares about me”. I’m going to suggest that what must have been going on with Joseph to some degree. It would have been natural for him to get discouraged and maybe even reach a point where he thought there is no hope. They both got out, this cup bearer is back serving the king and he is still stuck in prison with nothing. So. Is it safe to assume that he got discouraged? I think so. 

Let me make some suggestions and sum this up by saying that when Pharaoh’s butler and baker were put in prison they had disturbing dreams, Joseph interpreted the dreams to mean that the cup bearer would be restored and the Baker would be executed, but his asks the cup bearer to remember him but that didn’t happen because the cup bearer forgot and Joseph then remains stuck in the dungeon.

The approach I’m taking with this scripture, and I could have chosen many, is one that I hope that will help people who might feel they are in a bit of a spiritual dungeon. When people really get discouraged, that’s why they feel, I’m alone and forgotten, a popular expression to describe this state of mind is to say we are in a bit of a pit. Maybe you have been there. I talk to people all the time that feel that way.

So let me make two suggestions that are based on this passage, and I believe might help. There are other suggestions that can be made and in fact other helpful passage in the Bible that help deal with discouragement, but these are two things you can do that I have directly lifted from this passage. When you’re in the dungeon of discouragement use whatever gifts and opportunities you have to serve others. Don’t sit and soak in your sorrows, do something. It very important, that the faithful do whatever it is that you can do, to the glory of God. If your currently not in work and want or need a job then your full-time job should be looking for a job, that’s your job. What I like about that is don’t just sit. And so, in your sadness, do something and if you can’t find work then volunteer until you do. I am not saying this from a political perspective, I am approaching this from a spiritual and a mental health perspective. Furthermore, any difficulties you have try and count them as an opportunity to learn something more about God or about yourself. I know this isn’t easy, but it really is the best approach.

The book of James tells us that, pure and powerful religion before God the father is this that you visit orphans and widows in their trouble. I’ve always found this very fascinating and very helpful in my own life and the life of other people. When you’re in trouble, go help somebody. Don’t just sit there, go do something. That’s what Joseph did, and he ends up being of service to these two guys. Granted, he gave good news to one, and bad news to the other, but that was his gift, and that was his opportunity, he did what he could even in prison. 

That’s what I got out of the story. He could have become very sad and very bitter, and very depressed, but he did what he could do in that situation. I’ve given this advice with other people and then come back and tell me that things have really improved for them.  Not always the personal circumstances but their attitude to everything. I remember one outstanding case where a guy I knew had got to a situation where he got so discouraged, he was on the verge of suicide and he said I remember a women came to him and said go do something that helps someone else and do it today and he said, I just got up and went, did something and he said that really helped, he stopped dwelling on himself and instead focused on the immediate moment of helping someone else feel better, and he immediately felt better himself. 

So that’s my first suggestion, do something, use whatever opportunities you’ve got to go help somebody else and if what you are going through is a difficult even negative time, then go find someone else who is going through the same thing and try and encourage them and share you experience with them. The Bible teaches that before God can trust us with positions of great responsibility, God desires to use our capabilities and demonstrate unwavering faith in the midst of discouraging situations. Those who faithfully use the abilities that God has given them, even in discouraging circumstances will be given more and more opportunities to serve him. When you are discouraged, don't just sit, do something. Whatever gifts you have used, whatever opportunities you have, do so a credit the Lord for you motivation to do so.

I have a second suggestion. When you’re in the pit, when you’re in the dungeon of discouragement, be patient because you never know what God is doing. That is so important. When you are in a place where you are discouraged. You are looking at all the things that have gone wrong. And if you’re in a place of discouragement because things are going, wrong remember to stand firm on the promises of Jesus Christ. You are his child; he's working in your life whether you recognize it or not at this exact moment in time. That’s the issue, isn’t? Is God in control? God is always in control.

“All things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to his purposes”

(Romans 8: 28)

I didn’t say all things were good, I said they work together for good, right? So, what you have to do when you’re discouraged is look at the big picture, you may not know the specifics of what the future may look like, but you can know based on the person of Jesus Christ and the writings across the entire Bible that God can teach you that he has good plans for you and you can know that even in the midst of trauma. 

Most often we learn things through the most difficult times of life, much more than the easy times. We want to live, a trouble-free life, but there is no such thing, and if there were, we would never spiritually mature. All sunshine makes a desert, we have got to have a little rain in our lives. Someone has said the significance of this chapter lies in Joseph’s discovering his God given ability to interpret dreams. Joseph’s use of this gift on this occasion prepared the way for the later calling for Joseph to interpret dreams two years later and it was that gift which would exalt him into a high place in the Egyptian Government. Joseph is revealed her to have a gifting from the Lord, he has others, and we will see God used these, and we’ll see it as we continue through his story in Genesis. His God given giftings will put him in the place where he was in charge of the food supply for the whole country. God had a purpose for allowing Joseph to be put in prison, as we shall see as we go through the rest of the story. I’m just saying, be patient you may not know what God is doing, right now. He may do something in the future, and you have no way of knowing what it will be at this point. 

Maybe young people often feel that they should be promoted to positions of leadership in the Lord’s work, especially if you feel that they have spiritual gifts. Some churches put people in positions of leadership almost as soon as they become witnessing Christians and begin to acquire a rudimentary knowledge of the Bible. They tend to become impatient with what they regard as irrelevant attitudes and programs of their churches and Christian training institutions. They would rather develop new methods on their own to get immediately into the active ministry, getting financial support, sometimes thinking that mature Christian’s methods are out of date. If you feel that way, then I suggest you do two things. Do what you can and wait on the Lord to show you his purpose in that situation.

Let me conclude by quoting somebody, who I think really put his finger on the pulse of what is being said here. He said trials may be viewed from two perspectives and it will make all the difference in your spiritual life which of the two points of view we take.  From the human side, Joseph suffering was due to injustice on the part of Potiphar and ingratitude on the part of the cup bearer. From the divine side, these years were permitted for the purpose of training and preparing Joseph for the greater work that lay before him.

If we look at only the human side of trials, we become discouraged and it may even irritate and anger us, it may lead us into a deep depression. However, if we turn to look at it from the divine side we shall see God in everything and all things working together for our good. So, you can take the human perspective or the divine perspective and that will determine how quick you get out of a discouraged state of mind, and into the purposes of God.

It’s your choice.