July 15 - Fruitful In Affliction.

Genesis 41:52
“And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
 
Throughout most of the life of Joseph, that we have to learn from, he is away from his father. This was the root of his affliction.
 
Later on, in Genesis 49, we see that despite his affliction Joseph was fruitful.
 
Genesis 49:22
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:”
 
Affliction is simply misery, trouble or depression.
 
Joseph found himself there many times, but he never let it stop him.
He could have stayed in that pit.
He could have wallowed in the prison.
He knew God had a purpose and greater plan. 
 
Our affliction can make us miserable or we can choose to allow the Lord to make us fruitful in the midst of our misery.
 
Psalm 119:50
“This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”
 
Allow your misery to point you to the Word of God.
 
Psalm 119:71
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
 
Any misery we endure can be worth it, if we allow it to make us fruitful.
 
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
 
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Bible Reading:
2 Chronicles 17-18   |    2 Timothy 1