Years ago I was at a conference for pastors. The speakers were all famous people and well known pastors. One of the pastors spoke on the cost of the platform. He started off by recognizing how most pastors in their felt they would like to be up there or reach the tens of thousands that he and the others were reaching. He began to share hidden battles, the attacks on his family and other things he and the pastors up there all went through. It was a high price that most people aren’t willing to pay. To me it was a reminder that the bigger the dream God gives you, the bigger the problems you’re going to face. Can you hold onto your integrity through the unseen battles?
Joseph was given a dream in Genesis 37. Immediately he was attacked verbally by his family and later physically by his brothers. He was sold as a slave and was taken to Egypt. In Potophar’s house he was given authority, but didn’t have an audience. He resisted the easy temptation and was sent to prison for doing the right thing. In prison he continued to honor God despite his circumstances. Even though he had lost his position, his freedom and his reputation, he held onto his integrity. God used those hardships to prepare him for the fulfillment of the dream. It was a high cost he had to pay that others would have been unwilling to.
Proverbs 10:9 says, “The one who walks in integrity will experience a fearless confidence in life” (TPT). We’ve all heard that integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. To me, it’s also obeying when you’re not getting any visible return and can’t see the purpose behind what’s being asked of you. It’s continuing to worship while everything else seems to be falling apart. Integrity is earned in the crucible of trials. That’s where God removes things from our life that don’t belong. The greater the dream, the hotter the fire. The cost of dreams is often high, however the price always has a purpose. God used the prison to position Joseph. He’s using whatever you’re facing to get you where He needs you. Don’t give up in the hard times. I’ll leave you with Galatians 6:9 as encouragement to keep going. It says, “Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in” (AMP).
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 