"I NEED NOT BE CONSIDERED!"

 Two full years passed. (Genesis 41:1) Imagine how frustrating that must have been for Joseph!  Perhaps his hopes were high after Jehovah gave him the understanding of the puzzling dreams of the cupbearer and the baker.  Thereafter, as each day dawned, Joseph may have awakened with renewed hopes that this would be the day of release-only to find once again that the dull life dragged on, unchanged.  Those two years might well have been the most challenging of all for Joseph to endure. Yet, he never gave up his trust in his God, Jehovah. Rather than giving in to despair, he was determined to endure, and he emerged from that trying time all the stronger. - JAMES 1:4. 

In these difficult times, who of us does not need to work on our endurance?  In order to face life's ongoing trials, we need the kind of determination, patience, and inner peace that only God can give us. As he did with Joseph, he can help us fight despair and hold on to hope. - ROMANS 12:12; 15:13) 

The cupbearer might have forgotten Joseph, but Jehovah never did.  One night, he sent Pharaoh a pair of unforgettable dreams. In the first, the king saw seven fine-looking cows emerge from the Nile River, followed by seven ugly, thin cows.  The thin ones devoured the fat ones. Later, Pharaoh dreamed that he saw a stalk of grain sprouting seven choice ears. But then another seven years, wind-parched and sickly, sprouted up and devoured the choice ones. But then the morning, Pharaoh awoke deeply agitated over the dreams, so he called on all his wise men and magic-practicing priests to interpret them.  They all failed. (Genesis 41:1-8) Whether that means that they were dumbfounded or that they came up with variety of conflicting ideas, we do not know. At any rate, Pharaoh was let down-yet he was more desperate than ever to find an answer to this puzzle.

Next time: "I NEED NOT BE CONSIDERED!" - Continue

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