It’s not easy to be patient when God seems silent, but that’s where we find Joseph this morning. On the other hand, perhaps God knew he needed time … time to deal with everything that had happened and time to sort through his faith and trust in God.
If Joseph had a motto, it might have been, “Out of the frying pan, into the dungeon.”
By this point, he’s endured betrayal, slavery, and the sting of a false accusation that put him in prison. Those days when he was his father’s favorite and was gifted with a splendid coat must have seemed like a dream. Now he’s stuck in prison and trying to make the best of it. When two of Pharaoh’s officials land in the same jail—the cupbearer and the baker—Joseph, with God’s help, interprets their dreams. Suddenly, there’s a glimmer of hope.
The cupbearer is released, and Joseph makes a simple request: “When all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.” (Genesis 40:14)
What happens? “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” (Genesis 40:23)
Forgotten. We can almost feel Joseph’s feelings of disappointment, fear, and doubt. After everything he’d endured, here was his chance at freedom. And instead, there’s only silence. Two years of it, to be exact. Two long, lonely years.
It’s one thing to wait when you see progress; it’s another to wait when there’s only silence. Waiting on God’s promises can feel like holding onto a dream that’s fading at the edges. We pray, we hope, we stay faithful—and sometimes it feels like heaven’s voicemail is full or our emails are going into God’s spam folder.
But this forgotten season was not wasted time. It was forming time. God was working in Joseph’s waiting, preparing him for the next chapter. If Joseph had been released too early, he might not have been ready for the coming challenge and the blessings to come. Instead, when Pharaoh finally needed a dream interpreter, Joseph was ready.
The waiting room of faith can feel like a prison … but it’s also a classroom. God uses delays and silences to deepen our faith and to teach us that trust that doesn’t depend on visible progress.
If you feel like you’re in a forgotten season right now, waiting for God’s voice, healing, or open door, don’t lose heart. Silence is not absence. God may be preparing something that requires the very patience you’re learning now.
Joseph’s name wasn’t forgotten by God. And God’s memory is the one that matters.
Prayer: Lord, when your timing feels slow and your silence feels heavy, teach me to trust you anyway. Help me to wait faithfully, believing that your delays are not denials. Remind me that I am never forgotten in your sight. Amen.
