When You Feel Stuck In Life: 3 Lessons From the Life of Joseph
What do you do when you feel stuck in life?
You may be doing everything you know to do, yet nothing seems to change. Doors remain closed. Opportunities never seem to come.
Meanwhile, it looks like everyone around you is moving forward.
They are getting married, advancing in their careers, growing financially, or stepping into exciting new opportunities. Yet you feel like you are standing still.
If you are not careful, discouragement can quickly take over. You may even begin wondering whether your situation will ever change.
The Bible gives us an incredible example of someone who understood this feeling.
Joseph received amazing dreams from God about his future. However, his circumstances seemed to move in the opposite direction.
His brothers sold him into slavery. Later, he was falsely accused and thrown into prison.
Joseph did many things right, yet he still found himself stuck.
His story teaches us three powerful lessons about what God may be doing when you feel stuck in life.
1. God May Be Testing Your Character
Psalm 105 gives us an important insight into Joseph’s difficult season.
Before God’s promise came to pass, Joseph went through a period of testing.
Testing appears throughout Scripture.
God tested Abraham. Job experienced severe trials. The Israelites faced testing in the wilderness.
James also explains that trials produce perseverance in our lives. As perseverance grows, God develops maturity and character within us.
Therefore, your difficult season may accomplish something you cannot immediately see.
Joseph’s circumstances repeatedly tested his character.
Would he forgive the brothers who sold him into slavery?
How would he respond when people mistreated him?
Could Joseph continue working faithfully when he knew he was capable of much more?
Would he respect the authorities over him, even when his circumstances felt unfair?
Then Joseph faced sexual temptation from Potiphar’s wife. Once again, he had to decide what kind of man he would become.
These tests revealed Joseph’s character while also developing it.
The same can happen in our lives.
Resolve to Demonstrate Godly Character
When you feel stuck, it can become easy to compromise.
Frustration may tempt you to become bitter. Disappointment can cause you to treat others poorly. Waiting may even make obedience seem pointless.
However, difficult seasons give us opportunities to demonstrate godly character.
You cannot always control your circumstances. Still, you can control how you respond to them.
So, the first key word to remember is resolve.
Resolve to honor God even when nothing seems to change.
Continue working faithfully. Forgive people who hurt you. Resist temptation. Treat others with respect.
Your circumstances may feel stagnant, but God can still be working deeply within you.
2. Learn to Trust God While You Wait
The second lesson from Joseph’s life involves trust.
Genesis 40 tells us that Joseph developed a relationship with one of Pharaoh’s officials while in prison.
Joseph interpreted the man’s dream and explained that he would soon return to his position.
Before the official left, Joseph asked him to remember him before Pharaoh.
Joseph desperately wanted out of prison. Who could blame him?
He had been brought there unjustly.
Yet this moment raises an important question for us.
Who do we trust when life does not go according to plan?
Difficult seasons have a way of revealing where our confidence truly rests.
We may say that we trust God. We can sing worship songs about trusting Him and encourage others to trust Him.
However, waiting puts that trust to the test.
Sometimes we begin placing our confidence in people, money, education, connections, careers, or other resources.
None of those things are automatically wrong.
The problem begins when we trust them more than we trust God.
Rest Instead of Constantly Striving
God knew exactly where Joseph was.
Likewise, God knows exactly where you are.
He knows how long you have been waiting. He understands your disappointment and sees the doors that have closed.
Therefore, the second key word is rest.
Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know that He is God.
Being still does not mean becoming lazy or refusing to take action.
Instead, it means releasing the desperate need to control everything.
You can continue working while trusting God with the outcome.
Perhaps God has already prepared opportunities that you cannot see yet. He may be arranging circumstances long before you recognize His work.
Rest in the truth that God sees the entire picture.
3. Trust God's Timing
The third lesson from Joseph’s story concerns timing.
Genesis 41 begins with an important detail: two full years passed.
Joseph remained in prison for another two years after helping Pharaoh’s official.
Imagine how long those years must have felt.
Joseph may have wondered why God allowed him to remain there.
Yet when the time finally came, everything changed quickly.
Pharaoh had troubling dreams that no one could interpret. Suddenly, the official remembered Joseph.
Joseph came before Pharaoh, interpreted the dreams, and explained what Egypt needed to do.
Then his life changed dramatically.
The prisoner became one of Egypt’s most powerful leaders.
God had not forgotten Joseph.
His story simply had not reached the right moment yet.
Relinquish Your Timetable
Waiting becomes especially difficult when we have created our own timeline.
We think we should be married by a certain age. Our career should reach a specific level by another point.
Perhaps we expect a ministry, business, family, or dream to develop according to our schedule.
Then reality does not cooperate.
That gap between our expectations and our circumstances can create tremendous frustration.
Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours.
We see one moment. God sees the entire story.
Therefore, the third key word is relinquish.
Relinquish your timetable.
Release your agenda. Surrender your expectations about exactly when certain things should happen.
This does not mean you stop praying, planning, or pursuing opportunities.
Instead, you stop demanding that God follow your schedule.
What God May Be Doing When You Feel Stuck In Life
Feeling stuck does not necessarily mean you are doing something wrong.
Sometimes God uses waiting seasons to prepare us for what comes next.
Joseph needed character before receiving greater responsibility.
His years of hardship developed qualities he would eventually need as a leader.
Likewise, your current season may be preparing you for responsibilities you cannot see yet.
You may be asking God to change your circumstances while He is working to change you.
That does not make waiting easy.
However, it can give waiting a purpose.
Remember These Three Words
When you feel stuck in life, remember three words:
Resolve. Rest. Relinquish.
Resolve to demonstrate godly character.
Rest in God’s ability to guide your future.
Relinquish your timetable and trust His timing.
You may not understand what God is doing today. Joseph probably did not understand everything happening during his years of slavery and imprisonment.
Yet God was still working.
Your current circumstances are not necessarily the final chapter of your story.
Keep obeying God. Continue developing your character. Remain faithful with what He has placed in front of you.
Most importantly, trust Him with what comes next.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should Christians do when they feel stuck in life?
Continue obeying God while evaluating what He may be teaching you. Pray, seek biblical wisdom, and remain faithful with your current responsibilities.
Does feeling stuck mean I am outside God’s will?
Not necessarily. Joseph experienced long periods of waiting even though God had a purpose for his life. Difficult circumstances do not automatically indicate disobedience.
Why does God allow seasons of waiting?
Scripture shows that trials can develop perseverance, maturity, faith, and character. Waiting can also prepare us for responsibilities and opportunities that come later.
How can I trust God when nothing seems to be changing?
Focus on what you know about God’s character rather than judging His faithfulness by your circumstances. Continue praying and obeying while releasing outcomes to Him.
What can Joseph’s story teach us about waiting?
Joseph’s story teaches us to maintain godly character, trust God instead of relying completely on people, and surrender our personal timelines.
What Bible verses can help when you feel stuck?
Genesis 40-41 provides Joseph’s story during his imprisonment and eventual promotion. Psalm 46:10 encourages believers to be still before God. James 1:2-4 explains how trials produce perseverance.
How do I know if God is preparing me for something?
You may not always know. Rather than trying to predict God’s next move, focus on becoming faithful, wise, and obedient in your present circumstances.
Can God still be working when I cannot see any progress?
Yes. Joseph’s story demonstrates that visible progress is not the only evidence of God’s work. God can develop character and arrange circumstances long before the outcome becomes clear