Devotions Weekly Email
Each Tuesday this email will provide you with 5 days of devotions from Kris' sermon.
A sample of the devotions is available below.
Devotion Archive
Devotion Sample
Day 2: From Devastation to Purpose: Joseph’s Journey
Scripture Reading: Genesis 37; 41:50-52
Question to Start:
Have you ever faced a change so painful that it felt like your world had been
turned upside down? How did you respond to it?
Joseph’s life was a series of unexpected and devastating turns. He was his father’s favored son,
but his jealous brothers sold him into slavery, stripping him of his home, his security, and his
future. In Egypt, he worked hard in Potiphar’s house, only to be falsely accused and thrown into
prison. It seemed like every time he got back on his feet, life knocked him down again.
Joseph was devastated to begin with, but his story is inspiring because over time (years!) he chose
to accept and then embrace the new reality God had placed him in. One of the most powerful
moments in Joseph’s story comes when he names his sons. He names his firstborn Manasseh, meaning
"God has made me forget all my trouble and my father’s household." He names his second son Ephraim,
meaning "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering" (Genesis 41:51-52).
These names reveal Joseph’s heart: he had accepted that his life would never look the way he once
imagined, but he also recognized that God was doing something new and good in the midst of it.
Joseph didn’t just survive in his new circumstances—he found purpose and joy in them. He stopped
looking backward and started embracing where God had placed him. He allowed himself to heal,
forgive, and ultimately, thrive in a life that looked nothing like the one he once knew.
This is stage 3 after life throws you a major curveball: the stage of finding joy and purpose in
the new life you have after the curveball. Like Joseph, we can move forward, not because life is
fair, but because God is faithful.
Going Deeper Questions:
1. Joseph’s journey required him to both accept and embrace his new reality. Is there an area in
your life where you need to stop resisting change and start trusting God’s purpose?
2. How has God used a painful or unexpected situation in your past to bring about unexpected
blessings or growth?
Application:
Write down one way you can shift your mindset from focusing on what you’ve lost to
recognizing where God is leading you now.
Creative Prayer Exercise:
Find a small object, like a stone or a piece of paper. On the object, write one word that
represents something from your past that you need to let go of—whether it’s bitterness, regret, or
longing for what was. Hold it in your hands as you pray, asking God to help you release it. Then,
place it somewhere outside (if a stone) or tear it up and throw it away (if paper), symbolizing your
willingness to move forward into the new season God has for you. End by thanking God for the good
He is doing, even in unexpected places.