Change is one of life’s only guarantees — but it’s also one of the hardest things for us to handle. Whether it’s a move, a breakup, a job loss, or just the sense that life doesn’t look like it used to, change can shake our confidence.

But what if the goal isn’t to avoid change, but to find purpose in it?

That’s what we learn from Joseph’s story in Genesis 39. His life went from favored son to foreign slave, from managing a household to being thrown into prison — yet through it all, Scripture repeats the same phrase:

“The Lord was with Joseph.” (Genesis 39:2, 21)

Those five words changed everything.

The Presence that Doesn’t Change

Joseph’s story opens with heartbreak. Sold into slavery by his brothers, he ends up in Egypt, far from home and the dream God once gave him. It would’ve been easy for him to believe that everything had gone wrong — that God’s promise was canceled by his pain.

But Genesis 39 tells a different story:

“The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered… and the Lord gave him success in everything he did.” (Genesis 39:2–3)

Joseph’s success wasn’t about his skill, his status, or his surroundings. It was about one thing — God’s presence.

In a culture obsessed with achievement and appearance, that’s a powerful reminder. Success isn’t about climbing ladders or collecting titles. It’s about this simple question:

Is the Lord with you?

When God’s presence is with you, even in seasons that don’t make sense, your life carries divine purpose.

1. God’s Presence Brings Purpose

Joseph didn’t want to be a slave. But God still used that situation to bring blessing — not just to Joseph, but to everyone around him. Potiphar’s entire household was blessed because Joseph walked with God.

The same is true for us. When you walk closely with God, your faith becomes contagious. Your peace, patience, and integrity start to overflow into your workplace, your family, your neighborhood. People begin to notice.

Living with God’s presence isn’t just about personal comfort; it’s about shared impact. The purpose of your faith is often revealed in the way others experience God through you.

2. God’s Presence Brings Purity

Then the story shifts. Potiphar’s wife tries to tempt Joseph, but Joseph refuses — not because he’s afraid of getting caught, but because he doesn’t want to sin against God. (Genesis 39:9)

That’s the difference between avoiding sin and pursuing righteousness. When God’s presence is shaping you, your desires begin to change. You stop living in reaction to temptation and start living in pursuit of holiness.

Joseph’s integrity cost him everything — his position, his reputation, his freedom — but it protected something even greater: his identity in God.

Every one of us wears “cloaks” in life — identities shaped by what we do, what we’ve lost, or what others say about us. Joseph’s cloaks kept changing: the robe of favor, the cloak of slavery, the garment ripped away in accusation, the rags of prison, and eventually, the robes of royalty.

Through it all, one truth remained: the Lord was with Joseph.

Our circumstances can change. Our job titles, our homes, our routines — all of it shifts. But who we are in God stays the same.

3. God’s Presence Brings Peace

After being falsely accused, Joseph was thrown into prison. If there were ever a time to doubt God’s goodness, this would be it. But again, Scripture repeats:

“The Lord was with Joseph; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” (Genesis 39:21)

Even there, God set up camp with Joseph. He didn’t immediately remove him from the prison; He joined him in it. That’s what God does — He pitches His tent beside us in our darkest moments.

That’s the kind of peace the world can’t give. God doesn’t promise to keep us out of every storm; He promises to be with us through every one.

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” — Psalm 90:1

When you make God your dwelling place, you carry a peace that no circumstance can shake.

Takeaway

Maybe you’re in a season of unwanted change — a new city, a strained friendship, a job loss, or a diagnosis that’s rewritten your future.

You may not have chosen this season, but God has chosen to be with you in it.

He hasn’t forgotten you. He hasn’t withdrawn His promise. He’s setting up camp beside you, stretching His kindness over your life.

The question isn’t whether change will come. It’s whether we’ll cling to the One who never changes.

Closing Encouragement

At the end of his message, Pastor Shawn shared a personal story:

Looking through old photos, he noticed how much had changed — different jobs, homes, seasons, and even hairstyles. But one thing stayed the same in every photo: his wedding ring.

That ring represents a covenant that doesn’t change, no matter what life looks like. And that’s exactly how God’s love works.

Through every change, His promise still holds:

“You are His, and He is yours.”

You are clothed in Christ. You belong to Him. And that will never change.