Just a Tiny Bit of Faith is All You Need!

Joseph just needed a tiny bit of faith to make it through his trials!

Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, was no ordinary young man. His life was quite eventful, from the dreams of everyone in the family bowing to him, to being dumped in a well, to being sold as a slave, to landing in prison, and to becoming second in command in Egypt. The question is, however, did Joseph have even a tiny bit of faith in God when he was going through these nasty experiences? If so, what can we learn from him about faith? Here we go!

1. Joseph believed God had a purpose for him

In Genesis 37:5-10, Joseph had two dreams; one where his brothers’ sheaves bowed to his, and another where the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to him.  Though Joseph’s family took offense at the description of these dreams, he took them to heart and believed they were an indication of God’s purpose for his life. Looking through his life afterward, I noticed that his path followed a distinct pattern that eventually led to his being appointed a ruler in Egypt. How, then, could he have accomplished all this, if he didn’t have a tiny bit of faith in God and his divine purpose?

2. Joseph believed that God was with him

Imagine being dumped in a stinky well by your brothers, and then sold to strangers! Wouldn’t it be hard to keep your faith in such circumstances? Well, Joseph trusted in God, even though he was tested to his limits. The fruits of this tiny bit of faith are evident in the way he received God’s blessing all through his difficult journey.

Genesis 39:2-3 “The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.”(NLT)

Also,, check out verse 5.

Genesis 39:5 “From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.” (NLT)

God blessed Potiphar’s house because Joseph trusted in him. It didn’t matter what ‘size’ of faith Joseph had; God was with him anyway!

Later on, in the prison,

Genesis 39:21 “But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.” (NLT)

Isn’t this awesome? Though Joseph is in a difficult situation, the Lord is still with him! How encouraged Joseph must have been when he was in prison! All because of that tiny bit of faith he had in God!

3. Joseph believed in God’s wisdom

When confronted by the cupbearer and the baker who had just had distressing dreams, Joseph had this to say:

Genesis 40:8b “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.” (NLT)

Joseph recognized that God had the wisdom to interpret even the most puzzling of dreams. He had the same answer for Pharaoh when he was taken before him to interpret another mystifying dream.

Genesis 41:16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” (NLT)

At this point, I started to wonder if Joseph already knew the meaning of the dreams he had as a child! Though we don’t know for sure if he did, we are certain that Joseph knew who the author of wisdom is – God! Once again, that tiny bit of faith in God set him apart as a man of great knowledge and understanding.

4. Joseph believed in God’s sovereignty

Joseph knew that the testing he was going through was leading up to the fulfillment of God’s purpose for him. Check out these verses from the Psalms.

Psalm 105:17-22 “Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar.  Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.” (NLT)

It’s amazing to see how Joseph was tested every step of the way until it was time for his dreams to be fulfilled. The same person who was thrown into a dry well turned out to be the instrument that God used to save his people during the great famine! The tiny bit of faith that Joseph had in God is what kept him going! He understood that God was in charge of everything and that he would work things out according to his will.

Wow! Joseph has taught me lots about how powerful and essential that tiny bit of faith is! Let’s cultivate the same kind of faith as we let God be who he is – God!