“Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.” (Genesis 39:20 NIV)

   We’ve all had bad days, but probably not as bad as Joseph’s bad days. He had a lot of them. First, his conniving brothers sold him into slavery. Many bad servant days followed. When he had earned favor and a better position, Joseph was unjustly thrown in prison for fending off his boss’s wife. More bad days ahead.

   I’d be ticked. Downright discouraged. I’d feel sorry for myself.

   God drew me to Joseph’s story in my quest to discover how to respond to Corona season. As usual, I started with a question, “What did Joseph do while he was in prison?”

   He prepared for whatever God would have for him. And he didn’t know what that would be.

   He lived by faith in a faithful God. He must have, for the Lord used him to lead while he was in prison. “The warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.” (Genesis 39:22 NIV)

   Joseph remained true to God. He developed character in prison. When he was released, he was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt. That’s quite a promotion.

   Coronavirus feels like a prison. We’re restricted physically. Masks, limited size gatherings, spacing in restaurants and grocery lines, reduced travel, smaller church services – or none at all.

   The prison has taken its emotional and psychological toll on us. We were created by God to be with people. Isolation brings pain. Following restrictive rule upon rule pulls us down. The atmosphere of fear seeps in, despite our best biblical perspective. 

   But Coronavirus has not put us in spiritual prison. We have Jesus, who is our key that unlocks the prison door. If we thrive in spiritual freedom, we will conquer the virus’ best attempts to lock us away.

   That’s what Joseph discovered. He was a free man inside the depressing dungeon. Certainly, he wasn’t a happy man inside those walls, but somehow he drew on the Lord’s power and perspective to come out a healthier man than when he went in.

   I learned a lot from Joseph.

   Be open and seek to embrace what God wants to teach you. Remember that we’re here to advance HIS Kingdom and not yours. Joseph perceived and knew that he had a role in God’s greater Kingdom plan. I’m sure he influenced the prisoners and guards around him.

   Live purposefully and joyfully in Christ. Joseph didn’t have Jesus. We do! You have a personal relationship with the living God. Don’t be sucked in by the world and its attitudes, fears, hopelessness, hatred and finality. Think eternally.

   Stop complaining. We’re just like the rest of society when we fall into the trap of complaining. Barking about all the restrictions and inconveniences pulls us down the rabbit hole. Life looks miserable. We lose sight of God. Self-centeredness is our companion. And we’re a crab.

   Certainly, Joseph wasn’t a complainer. Perhaps at first, but for the most part, he got over it. He must have, or he would not have been able to emerge as the strong man of God that he was. He leaned into the Lord in prison. By the grace of God – with no fellowship, travel, fine food, or any liberties at all – he found freedom in his relationship with the Lord. Your freedoms have hardly been ripped away compared to Joseph’s. Get over it and see God’s purposes.

   See that people are open spiritually. They are seeking. They’re doing it in public and in private. Joseph was faithful to his God. Imagine the prisoners that came and went. For some, it was their last stop before death. You bet they were open spiritually. Joseph had hope and they saw it. We have the hope of Christ for a scared, seeking world.

   Prepare for the future. Joseph had no idea where or when his next assignment would be. In fact, he may have thought prison was his final destination, forgotten forever. Yet, he kept feeding his faith. He had plenty of time to recount how God saved the Israelites and how he proved faithful to him over the years.

   You and I must prepare for the future, too. When will we get out of Coronavirus prison? No one knows, but we better be ready to reach out for Jesus when the door is open. And, like Joseph, maximize the now. Reach out to the Lord now. Be Jesus to the other inmates (who, for you, is everyone).

   You have all the tools in the world to prepare for the future as you live in this training ground called Coronavirus prison.

   Read your Bible. Study it. Go deep. You have time.

   Pray often. For long periods. Get to know Jesus at a deeper level.

   Understand what God is teaching you through hardship. In addition to the general situation, you might be confronted with financial stress or disaster, family problems or a health issue. In the middle of Coronavirus, I had a major accident that battered me physically and emotionally for weeks. I was a mess, yet God lifted me out of it. I learned a lot through it and wrote it down. I encourage you to do the same.

   Spend time reading the full story of Joseph in Genesis 37-47. Prison was just one of his calamities of life. Remember, he was a slave, too. You probably haven’t been that route. As you read, you’ll be inspired by this man of God and how he was faithful to the Lord in the hardest of times. His story is a tear-jerker, including an emotional crescendo involving his entire family.

   There are lessons galore we can learn from Joseph, ones we can apply during Coronavirus season. Instead of rejecting these lessons, embrace them. Seek them. Look for God in this season. And respond as his man or woman. He will prepare you for even greater lessons in the future. Most of all, your relationship with Jesus will be more vibrant than ever.

(From my new book Corona Season Continues: A Christian Response to the Pandemic. Available on Amazon).