Home Alone plays off the idea that there are moments in life when things don’t go the way you think they will. And you have to decide how you’re going to respond to it. Kevin gets left home alone while his family travels to France. And
he can either worry about it and complain that he’s the victim of circumstance, or he can see the bright side & eat marshmallows while he jumps on the bed.

What would your life look like if you spent less time complaining about your circumstances and more time taking ownership for finding a solution?

When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.

[Genesis 39:1-2]

Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and
livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing – except what kind of food to eat!

[Genesis 39:3-6a]

Your success is based less on your circumstances and more on your ability to take ownership for your circumstances.

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.  But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I
do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

[Genesis 39:6b-9]

She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on,
sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

[Genesis 39:10-12]

The sign of true faith in God is that your loyalty doesn’t shift when your circumstances do.

She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. “But when I screamed, he ran outside,
leaving his cloak with me!” Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her.  So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.

[Genesis 39:16-20]

Your story isn’t really about you and your pleasure.
It’s about what God wants to be able to do through your story.

God can use your negative circumstances to change someone else’s life.

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of
the Lord.  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

[James 5:13-15]

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