It all starts with, “I can’t, but You can.”

After an early morning prayer struggle, I wondered what the Lord would show me in His Word. He showed me, alright.

I “just happened” to be in Genesis 41. Up to this point, Joseph had been suffering for 13 years: Put in a dry well. Sold as a slave. Falsely accused of rape. And imprisoned.

Unfair? Yes, but it was partially his own fault. At 17, Joseph was given dreams of both his and his family’s future. Where did they come from? Joseph never says. But he does tell his dad and brothers about the dream. “Every one of you will bow down to me.” You can imagine how that went over, like a lead balloon.

His long struggle would only be over when Pharoah had two dreams. Pharoah asked, “Can you interpret my dreams?” Joseph said, “Nope, I can’t, but God can.” In fact, Joseph emphasized that it was God who gave the dream and God who would give the dream’s interpretation.

This was not the same Joseph, who 17 years earlier seemed to brag about his dream and his interpretation of it. It took 17 years for Joseph to give up the struggle to be ready for the purpose God had for him – save his entire family despite the Satanic attack on it.

Joseph had to learn to surrender to God. Yes, Joseph’s dream came true. Yes, Pharoah’s dream came true. But who gave the dreams and was responsible to make them happen? God.

Sometimes our struggles are self-induced because we are trying to do God’s job for Him. The Lord will not only give you the direction, but the power to get there as well because He can.