Joseph lost both his outer garment and his freedom on two occasions.
As a seventeen-year-old living in his father’s house in the land of Canaan, Joseph endured the envy and hatred of his brothers. When his father gave him a multi-colored coat, it reinforced what his brothers already knew: Joseph was the favored son (Genesis 37:3-4). When his father sent him to check on his brothers, “they stript Joseph out of his coat, … cast him into a pit,” and then sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:23-28).
Of course this was devastating to him, but he began to rise through faithfulness to God (Genesis 39:3-4). That faithfulness enabled him to earn the trust of his new master, Potiphar, but it eventually caused a rift between them.
Potiphar’s wife tried many times to convince Joseph to commit adultery with her. He refused every time, citing both his responsibility to her husband and his duty to God (Genesis 39:7-10). Finally, she attempted to physically seduce him, and he fled, leaving his coat in her hands (Genesis 39:12). She used that garment to accuse him, and Potiphar cast him into prison (Genesis 39:13-20).
But Joseph continued to be faithful to God. Over time, the keeper of the prison learned to trust Joseph, “because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper” (Genesis 39:23).
Joseph’s story is dramatic: he lost everything but rose to greater heights, not once but twice. The second loss must have been harder than the first, but he maintained his faith through the entire journey.
The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi experienced a similar two-stage trial. As a young man, he left the city of Jerusalem with his family, abandoning a comfortable life to travel in the wilderness because of a commandment from God to his father (1 Nephi 2:2-4). After many years and many challenges, the family arrived in their promised land in the Americas. But his challenges were not over. Contention within the family grew. His brothers sought to take his life. Like his father, Nephi received a commandment to leave everything and find a new home (2 Nephi 5:1-7).
It would have been reasonable for Nephi to wonder how many times he would have to leave his home, travel in the wilderness, and establish a new promised land. But, like Joseph, he continued to obey God, trusting in His promises. And this time, he was able to build the city he had envisioned, living “after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27).
The message of both of these stories is powerful: don’t let the second setback shake your faith. When obedience leads to loss, keep trusting God. If it happens again, keep trusting God. Like the Jaredite barges, you may be repeatedly submerged, but God will bring you to the surface again. (See Ether 6:7.)
Today, I will strive to maintain a steady faith through both positive and negative events. Like Joseph and Nephi, I will trust God even when I experience multiple losses, trusting that He will bring me safely through every trial.
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