BIBLE PASSAGE: PSALM 105:16–22 (KJV)
16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
EXHORTATION
KEY VERSE:
“Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” — Psalm 105:19 (KJV)
Welcome to Mercy Speaking Daily Devotional on this Monday, October 12, 2026. Yesterday, we reflected on Becoming Stable in Christ and learned that our roots must remain firmly established in Jesus through every season of life. Today, we consider When God Is Preparing You. Sometimes, the very experiences we wish would end quickly become opportunities for God to develop our character, strengthen our faith and prepare us for responsibilities we cannot yet see. Although we may not always understand His process, we can trust His wisdom and remain faithful while He works in us.
The life of William Carey, the English missionary and Bible translator, offers a valuable illustration of preparation through perseverance. Before leaving for India in 1793, Carey worked as a shoemaker and served as a pastor. He studied languages and developed a burden for taking the Gospel to people who had little access to it in their own languages. In 1792, he published a work calling Christians to support overseas missions, helping to inspire the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society that year. His work in India involved considerable hardship, learning and years of sustained labour. He became known for his contributions to Bible translation and education. Carey’s journey reminds us that a calling often requires preparation before its wider impact becomes visible. His story is documented by Boston University’s History of Missiology.
One of the most important lessons in the life of Joseph is that God’s preparation does not always look like progress at first. Joseph received dreams concerning his future, but his immediate experiences did not resemble the honour those dreams suggested. His brothers rejected him, sold him into slavery, and he was later imprisoned in Egypt after being falsely accused. From a human perspective, these events appeared to move him farther away from his purpose. Yet God was at work through circumstances Joseph could not fully understand at the time.
Psalm 105:17 says that God sent Joseph ahead of his family, even though Joseph was sold as a servant. This does not mean that his brothers’ wickedness was acceptable. Rather, it shows that their actions could not destroy God’s larger purpose. People may treat us unjustly, opportunities may disappear, and plans may take unexpected turns. Nevertheless, we can continue to seek God’s direction and trust that He is able to work even in painful circumstances. We should not call every difficulty a direct act of God, but we can bring every difficulty before Him and ask how we should respond faithfully.
Verse 19 says, “Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” Joseph had received dreams, but there was a period between the promise and its fulfilment. During that period, his faith and character were tested. Waiting can be difficult because we often want God to reveal the destination without taking us through the process. We want responsibility without further training, influence without deeper character, and answers without seasons of uncertainty. Yet readiness for an assignment involves more than desire; it requires the wisdom, discipline and integrity to carry it well.
When God is preparing us, He may use ordinary responsibilities to teach us faithfulness. A person who hopes to lead others must first learn to serve. Someone who desires greater opportunities may need to develop patience, diligence and sound judgement. A person praying for restored relationships may need to learn forgiveness and honest communication. These lessons may seem small compared with our expectations, but they can become essential foundations for future responsibilities.
Joseph’s experience also teaches us that preparation is not the same as passivity. While waiting, we must continue doing what is right. Joseph served faithfully in Potiphar’s house and later in prison. He did not allow injustice to become an excuse for abandoning his integrity. When we are in a difficult season, we should continue working diligently, learning, praying, serving and making wise decisions. We may not control how quickly circumstances change, but we can choose how faithfully we respond.
It is also important not to assume that every delay means a breakthrough is immediately approaching. Scripture does not promise that every difficult season will end in the particular outcome we desire or within our preferred timetable. What it does teach us is that God remains faithful, that our labour in the Lord is not in vain, and that we can depend on His wisdom. Sometimes preparation changes our circumstances; sometimes it changes our character; and sometimes it equips us to remain faithful even when circumstances do not change as we hoped.
When Joseph’s opportunity came, he needed more than a dream. He needed wisdom, self-control, discernment and the ability to administer responsibility. His years of hardship had not been wasted. God brought him into a position where he could help preserve lives during famine. The preparation had a purpose beyond Joseph’s personal advancement; it became a means of serving others.
Do not despise the season in which you are learning, waiting or being corrected. Do not compare your process with another person’s progress. Continue to seek God, obey His Word and develop the qualities that honour Christ. If you have made mistakes, receive correction and grow. If you have been disappointed, ask God for strength and wisdom. If a door remains closed, keep doing what is right while seeking His direction.
You may not yet understand what God is preparing you for, but you can make this season meaningful by remaining faithful to Him today. Let your waiting deepen your trust, your responsibilities develop your character, and your experiences teach you to depend more fully on Christ.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Preparation is not wasted time when it teaches you to become faithful, wise and ready to serve God and others.
PRAYER POINTS
- Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your faithfulness and wisdom. Thank You because my life is in Your hands, and You know the path I must take even when I cannot see the whole journey.
- Merciful Father, forgive me for the times I have complained, become discouraged or acted impatiently during seasons of waiting. Help me to repent, trust You and respond to difficulties with faith.
- Lord, prepare my heart and character for every responsibility You entrust to me. Develop integrity, humility, patience, discipline and wisdom in my life.
- Father, give me strength to remain faithful in hidden seasons. Help me to serve diligently, learn willingly and do what is right even when no one notices or rewards my efforts.
- Lord Jesus, help me respond rightly to disappointment and injustice. Keep bitterness from taking root in my heart, and teach me to seek Your guidance without compromising my Christian values.
- Holy Spirit, give me discernment to recognise the lessons I need to learn. Help me to avoid unhealthy comparison, receive correction and use this season to grow spiritually and practically.
- Faithful Father, I thank You because my future is in Your hands. Help me to trust Your wisdom, remain obedient in the present and serve You faithfully wherever You lead me, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
