JANUARY 20 "FRUITFUL IN THE LAND OF AFFLICTION"

There's a two step process here with Joseph. Joseph names his first son Manasseh "God has made me forget all my toil and all my Father's house".  Joseph was devout to God, but that can lead us to believe that Joseph was above bad situations affecting him. And now we see that is not true, Joseph was hurt and affected by what went on back home.  Second, he names his second son Ephraim, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction".  The land of my affliction, once again Joseph admits that it has been a rough and miserable time in Egypt, but yet we would never gather that by his attitude and faithfulness to God. Joseph brings up another key point that we should not miss and that is; that in the midst of our place, land, city or circumstance of affliction, if we keep our hearts right in our land of affliction we can say and testify as Joseph, "God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction".  Something beautiful can be born (figuratively or literally) in the midst of ugly times. In our worse times, if we keep our hearts right before God, you will see that an Ephraim will be born to you and you will always remember, "those were rough times" but you will also always remember this is where this happened, this is where this blessing came from, that was when I met so and so, that's where my Ephraim was born!

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