Ready:
“You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”—Genesis 50:20
Set:
Aaron Judge looked like he was on a fast track to stardom. Drafted by the New York Yankees in 2013, Judge climbed quickly through the minor leagues. His size, power and raw talent made him feel major-league ready. In 2016, he made his major league debut. And then, he struggled. Pitchers exposed holes in his swing. Strikeouts piled up. Confidence dipped. Then, the Yankees made a surprising move: they sent him back down. With his endgame in reach, it was suddenly pulled away.
Back in the minors, Judge re-focused. He trained. He rebuilt swing mechanics. He studied pitch recognition. He learned strike-zone discipline. He learned to cope with failure, not just success. Redirection refined his habits. When Judge returned in 2017, he exploded. Rookie of the Year honors. MVP-level production. Franchise cornerstone.
Joseph’s story follows the same pattern. Just like Judge, Joseph experienced moments when goals were in-hand —and suddenly pulled back. Not as punishment, these were seasons of deeper preparation. As an enslaved servant (Genesis 39:1–6), an unjust prisoner (Genesis 39:19–23) and a forgotten inmate (Genesis 40:14–23), Joseph refined habits—faithfulness, character and humility—that deepened his maturity. Like Judge, Joseph was redirected for deeper training. Joseph didn’t control the opportunity. But he stewarded his preparation.
If you’ve ever felt sent backward when you thought you were finally ready, you know how heavy that moment can feel. Redirection doesn’t feel like a step forward. It can feel like punishment—like you did something wrong, like God went silent or like you were overlooked when you were finally ready. That’s when the temptation to say, “Thank you, Holy Spirit—I’ll take it from here” rises in our minds. But God’s purpose often includes detours—not to stop you, but to train habits that prepare you.
Go:
Joseph’s detours formed habits of faithfulness, character and humility. Which habit is most difficult for you to master?
Redirection tempts us to say, “Thanks God—I’ll take it from here.” Instead of rushing ahead, how do you step into God’s redirection?
Workout:
Overtime:
“My Lord and my Coach, why does growth and maturity take so long? Give me patient understanding when You redirect me. Reveal to me the habits and traits you desire to grow in me and help me to do the hard work to build them. Amen.”