GENesis 40: Faithful in the Hidden Place
Scripture Focus:
“And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt... and Joseph came to them in the morning and saw that they were troubled.”
— Genesis 40:5–6 (ESV)
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Reflection:
God calls us to be faithful with the gifts He has entrusted to us, even when no one seems to notice. Genesis 40 introduces us to Joseph still in prison—unjustly forgotten, hidden from the spotlight, and yet still serving with integrity.
Two men—the cupbearer and the chief baker—are thrown into prison, and both have disturbing dreams. Joseph, walking in intimacy with God, discerns their meaning and speaks with boldness and compassion. The interpretations come to pass exactly as he said.
What’s amazing is this: Joseph didn’t stop using his gift just because he was in prison. He didn’t wait until he had a platform or recognition. He was faithful in the hidden place. This is what it means to steward the calling of God with humility and trust.
“Do not despise the day of small beginnings…”
— Zechariah 4:10
Joseph’s faithfulness in obscurity was the very thing that eventually opened the door to the palace. It was his willingness to interpret dreams in prison that positioned him to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams—leading to national deliverance and divine promotion.
When God Seems Silent
The prison years were likely some of the most difficult for Joseph. They were silent years—not because Joseph had sinned, but because God was forming him. These are the seasons when we feel unseen, where our gifts seem unnoticed, and where heaven feels quiet even though we’re walking in obedience.
But God is never absent. He is developing you. Deepening you. Preparing you.
My Story: Hidden Before Public
I’ve experienced this in my own life. After God healed and transformed me, I poured myself into the secret place. I prayed for the sick, preached the gospel, and made disciples—all away from the public eye. It was a hidden season. But in 2022, God began to pull me into the open. Opportunities emerged, doors opened, and I saw how the years of quiet faithfulness were not wasted—they were preparation.
I remember being 22, standing up in an altar call for the fivefold ministry. I didn’t know how God would do it—but I said yes. I just did what I could: I preached, I prayed, I served. Now I see how all of it was God preparing me for the office of an evangelist—to strengthen the Church and bring the lost home.
Faithfulness Precedes Promotion
Joseph’s story reminds us that the calling may come early, but the release into that calling takes time. The cupbearer forgot about him, but God didn’t. The moment came, and Joseph was brought before the most powerful man in the world.
“A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.”
— Proverbs 18:16
Be faithful in the hidden place. Use your gifts. Don’t stop ministering just because the room is small. When God sees that He can trust you in private, He will place you before kings in public.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the hidden seasons. Thank You for the prisons and the small beginnings, where You shape my heart and refine my gifts. Teach me to be faithful, even when no one sees. May I not grow weary in doing good. Prepare me for what You have prepared for me. And when the time is right, bring me into the place where my calling brings glory to Your name. Amen.