Ever feel like you've been tossed into a pit you didn't dig?

Joseph did.

One minute, he's the favorite son. The next? His brothers strip off his coat, throw him into a pit, and sell him like livestock. No trial. No defense. Just betrayal.

And here's the thing: it gets worse before it gets better.

But that's exactly where W. Austin Gardner wants us to look. Because in that pit, in that darkness, God was still good. God was still working. And the story wasn't over.

When life goes sideways, we assume God's disappointed. We think He's abandoned us. We wonder if we did something wrong.

Joseph could've thought that too.

But here's what I've learned after 50+ years of ministry, after walking through Stage 4 cancer and surviving COVID on a ventilator: the pit doesn't mean God's gone. It means God's working in ways you can't see yet.

Joseph didn't know he was being positioned for the palace. He just knew it hurt.

And that's okay.

You don't have to have it all figured out. You don't have to pretend the pit isn't dark. Biblical contentment doesn't mean fake smiles. It means trusting that God is good even when your circumstances aren't.

I know it sounds like a bumper sticker. "God's goodness in suffering." But when you're actually in the pit, those words hit different.

Joseph's brothers meant it for evil. But God? God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).

That's not motivational fluff. That's covenant love. That's hesed: the kind of mercy that follows you even when everyone else has walked away.

I've been falsely accused. I've been canceled. I've watched my ministry collapse and had to rebuild from scratch. And through it all, I learned this: God's goodness doesn't depend on your circumstances. It depends on His character.

The pit doesn't change God. It just changes your perspective.

Joseph spent years in that pit. Then years in Potiphar's house. Then years in prison.

And during all of it? God was preparing him to save nations.

You might feel stuck. You might feel forgotten. But what if you're not stuck? What if you're being prepared?

W. Austin Gardner unpacks this truth in the full article: how Joseph's story shows us that God's goodness in suffering isn't about quick fixes. It's about deep transformation. It's about positioning you for a purpose you can't yet see.

You can read the full breakdown here: God's Goodness in Suffering: Lessons from Joseph in the Pit.

Trust me, it's worth the click.

Joseph's story didn't end in the pit. Yours won't either.

God is still writing. He's still working. And His goodness is still chasing you down: even in the dark.

So stop auditioning. Stop performing. Stop trying to earn your way out of the pit.

Rest in this: You are followed by mercy.

And if you need a deeper dive into how to find biblical contentment when life goes sideways, I've got you covered. Head over to waustingardner.com and let's keep walking this out together.

You can also catch more of these conversations on the Followed by Mercy podcast or subscribe to my Substack for weekly encouragement straight to your inbox.

Because here's the truth: God is not disappointed in you. He is not measuring your worth by your consistency.

The pit is not the end. It's the setup.

And the palace? It's coming.

What does "Joseph in the pit" teach us about God's goodness?
Joseph's story shows us that God's goodness doesn't depend on our circumstances. Even in betrayal, slavery, and injustice, God was positioning Joseph for purpose. The pit wasn't punishment: it was preparation.

How can I find biblical contentment when I'm suffering?
Biblical contentment isn't about pretending everything's fine. It's about trusting that God is good even when life isn't. It's resting in His covenant love: hesed, the kind of mercy that follows you even in the darkest moments.

Where can I learn more about W. Austin Gardner's story?
You can dive deeper into Austin's journey: from Stage 4 cancer to COVID survival to 50+ years of ministry: at waustingardner.com. His story is a living testimony of God's goodness in suffering.