Baptist City Blog

Pharaoh’s dream was a warning by God about an upcoming famine that Egypt was about to face. Joseph warned Pharaoh that there would be seven plenteous years followed by seven years of famine. Because God was about to do this, Joseph encouraged him to prepare so they could make it through this time.

Your life is a work of God. We could look at this dream as your life and see that God is “about to do” something through you. Your desire should be to maximize what God wants to do through you. They were advised to follow six things if they were going to make it through the famine, and those same six things will maximize what God will do through you.

First, realize that there are cycles of life. Verses 29-30 show that there were seven good and bad years. Likewise, life is very much a cycle that will have good and bad times. If you grasp this principle, you won't despair when times get bad. There are some who completely fall apart during bad times when they could have made it through their difficulties if they understood that this cycle will end. You can weather life’s cycles by being steady during the ups and downs of life.

Second, prioritize your life by importance. God doubled Pharaoh’s dream to show him the importance of this cycle. You will never maximize what God is doing through you without prioritizing your life and focusing more on the greater priorities. Don't let the lesser priorities of life take your time from the greater ones.

Third, surround yourself with wise advisors. Pharaoh was advised to find a wise man to help him. You will never maximize life without having wise advisors to guide you in life. Once you’ve surrounded yourself with these wise advisors, listen to them; it doesn't help to have advisors if you don't listen and follow their advice.

Fourth, get a plan. In verse 33, Joseph devised a plan for Pharaoh to follow. You will never maximize life without goals and schedule. You should have a daily schedule you follow. Time is God's gift in life. A daily schedule will keep you from wasting the time and life He has given you if you'll make it your boss. A schedule helps to keep the priorities for the day right, and it will keep you from those things that will waste your time.

Fifth, know your resources. You will never maximize life without knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Joseph understood that they needed to gather in the years of plenty to make it through the years of famine. When you know your strengths and weaknesses, you will learn what areas you are going to need more help in to maximize what God is doing through you. Let me encourage you to keep your strengths strong, but strengthen those areas where you are weaker.

Sixth, don't wait for life to come to you, start immediately with what God has already given you. Joseph didn't wait for the famine to come to do something, he started immediately. The best time to start maximizing your life is right now. These steps will maximize what God is doing and will do through you if you will follow them immediately.