Writers 
Joseph, the eleventh son among twelve born to Jacob, was viewed favorably by God. Both the divine blueprint and resources for his success were established by God.
During his youth, Joseph came to comprehend God’s unique plan for his success. He received a revelation about the future that included elevated status, authority, and recognition. Despite evidence to the contrary, he believed for many years that God intended to accomplish something significant in and through his life.
His grasp of future success was grounded in two visions that God granted him when he was just seventeen. At that time, Joseph tended to his father’s sheep. However, in one of the visions, instead of being a shepherd, Joseph found himself gathering grain. While he and his siblings were bundling stalks in a field, his bundle rose, and all the others bowed down to it. In another vision, he witnessed the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing in reverence to him.
Just like many individuals today, Joseph envisioned success but lacked a specific plan to achieve it. He had received a preview of what was to come, but the details connecting the present to the future were not laid out. It was up to Joseph to faithfully follow God’s path to success by engaging with the tasks that were set before him.
Numerous individuals find themselves in a situation similar to that of Joseph. They possess a deep-seated intuition or certainty that their lives are intended to be meaningful, and that there is a divine purpose for their time on earth. They harbor aspirations of success. However, they are unclear on how God will facilitate their achievement.
When they examine their current circumstances, they find no evidence of success. Instead, they may see piles of books awaiting their attention, stacks of paperwork requiring organization, or heaps of laundry that need to transition from the basket to the washing machine.
They carry within them a profound dream of success, yet they do not witness it materializing around them. They sense that they are in a holding pattern, merely anticipating God's next directive.
What is expected of them during this period of waiting? To fulfill their current responsibilities with obedience.
A Daily Trust and Obey Relationship
God never instructs any of us to simply wait passively for Him to elevate us to achievement. He wants us to have faith in Him and follow His guidance daily, consistently engaging in the tasks He assigns us. He encourages us to absorb the lessons He presents, some of which may be painful, others challenging, and many might feel trivial. The tasks that God gives can appear insignificant and entirely disconnected from our achievements' ultimate goals. Frequently, we fail to recognize that God is shaping a robust foundation of experience, skill, reliability, honesty, integrity, and character within us, so that when we eventually attain a position of power or influence, we will be prepared. Success Might Be True Even When Outcomes Seem Like Failures at First, Joseph had to follow God’s definition of success, even when the circumstances around him suggested impending failure. When Joseph's father asked him to check on his brothers and the flocks in Shechem, Joseph was not treated as the favored child. At that moment, Joseph was merely his father’s messenger, akin to what we would call a junior employee today, at the lowest level of the hierarchy, tasked with a job that any servant could handle for Jacob.
Was Joseph successful in locating his brothers? Yes, but not solely through his own efforts. He discovered his brothers with assistance from a person he encountered while asking for directions.
Was Joseph successful when his brothers met him by throwing him into a pit, leaving him for dead, and later opting to sell him as a slave to traveling Midianite traders? Yes.
What justified his success? He kept his faith in God and acted with honor and integrity. How can we confirm this was his reaction?
Because the Bible confirms that he served Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, with such distinction that Potiphar realized “the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man” (Gen. 39:2). Potiphar interpreted the success of Joseph as a sign that the Lord caused “all he did to prosper in his hand” (Gen. 39:3).
Was Joseph successful when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, yet he rejected her advances and fled, leaving his garment behind, which led to false accusations against him and his imprisonment with the king’s prisoners? Yes, Joseph remained successful.
