THE DREAM DOESN’T DIE IN THE PIT
Published by Olwin Gosal in 2026 · 28 June 2026
THE DREAM DOESN’T DIE IN THE PIT
What should we do when we are hurt by the people closest to us? And how should we see the evil things they do to us? Is their evil a punishment? Is it proof that God is not with us? Or could it be that suffering because of the people closest to us is God’s preparation for a greater purpose? Let us open our Bible to Genesis 37:1–36.
1. Broken relationships can become the beginning of deep emotional wounds.
This passage explains the unhealthy relationships in Jacob’s family. In verse 2 it says, “Joseph brought their father a bad report about them.” The Bible does not tell us exactly what his brothers did, but the fact that Joseph told his father shows that something had deeply hurt him. This was evidence that there was a broken relationship in Jacob’s family and that they were not living in harmony. However, the Bible does not tell us what Jacob did after hearing this. It seems that Jacob did not deal with the problems in his family.
Instead, in verse 3, Jacob created another problem. It says, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons… and he made an ornate robe for him.” Every person, especially a child, needs to feel loved and accepted. Jacob’s favoritism created tension and caused Joseph’s brothers to hate him even more. Joseph was hurt by the evil actions of his brothers, while his brothers were hurt because they did not receive the love they expected from their father. Parents should show equal love to their children and become a good example for them. Instead, Jacob showed favoritism, which caused hatred to grow in his family. What Jacob did was the same thing he had seen and experienced in his own family. Genesis 25:28 says, “Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.”
My brothers and sisters, many people carry emotional wounds that began in their own families. Everything parents do, say, and decide becomes a memory that greatly affects their children’s future. If we set a good example, our children will remember it and follow it. But if we set a bad example, they will also remember and copy it. Therefore, we must continue to do our best to raise our children without hurting them. Colossians 3:21 says, “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”
2. God’s purpose does not remove pain.
Verses 6–11 tell us about Joseph sharing his dreams. Verse 7 says, “We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” Verse 9 says, “Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’”
When Joseph shared these dreams, no one believed him. Instead, his brothers hated him even more and became more jealous of him. As we look at Joseph’s life, we can see that these dreams were part of God’s great purpose and plan for him. The Bible never says that Joseph told his dreams with pride or because he wanted to be greater than his brothers. These dreams had to be shared so that when they were finally fulfilled, Joseph and his whole family would know that they were truly God’s plan. They were not stories made up by Joseph. This shows us that God has many ways to reveal His plans.
God wanted to accomplish a great purpose through Joseph’s life, but that purpose did not come without pain and suffering. Joseph was hated. His brothers were jealous of him. His father thought his dreams were unreasonable. Because of these dreams, Joseph was thrown into a pit and later sold as a slave. He went through great suffering, both physically and emotionally, and it was all done by the people closest to him.
Sometimes we think that if God wants to use someone for a great purpose, that person’s life will be easy and peaceful. We may say, “If God is with us, what could be difficult? If what we are doing is truly God’s will, we should not suffer.” But that is not what happened. Joseph experienced real physical and emotional pain. This teaches us that living in God’s plan and enjoying His presence does not remove challenges or suffering. There is not one person in the Bible whom God used greatly without also facing suffering and difficulties. In the middle of their suffering, they experienced God’s presence, and they saw that God gave them the strength to overcome every trial.
My brothers and sisters, there are two things for us to think about today.
First, think about your family. Is there anything in your family that needs to be evaluated, resolved, or removed so that it will not become a wound your children continue to carry?
Second, never stop dreaming about doing what is according to God’s purpose. Never be afraid to do great things if they truly come from God. Suffering and challenges will come, but they will help us grow and prepare us for the greater work that God has planned for us to do for Him.