A “pit” plain and simply sounds like a nasty place.
Descriptive words for a pit that come to my mind are:
smelly (think arm-pit!), isolated (bottom-of-the-pit), disastrous (as in, my little brothers bedroom-pit),
dark, lonely, hopeless, forgotten, cheerless, void- of-laughter kind of place.

Joseph’s brothers tossed him into a pit, specifically a dried up well, when he was 17 years old. Turns out this was merely a short holding place for him because he was lifted out of that pit to be sold into slavery in Egypt. Brought out a pit to be put right into slavery, an experience that probably felt like a virtual pit of it’s own. Then after a while he was tossed back into a second literal pit – a jail – and kept there for the remainder of 13 years. THIRTEEN YEARS. Until by the hand of God and in God’s perfect timing, he was “brought out of the pit” to experience the full favor of Pharaoh and to fulfill God’s purpose for him and all of Egypt.

It’s interesting to me as I read the Genesis account of Joseph and his experience in the “pits of life”, there is very little description of what the pits were actually like. What IS emphasized, described, and recorded in much detail is how God moved circumstances and the hearts of men as a result of Joseph’s response to his “time in the pits” to consistently bring good to Joseph, blessing to those around him and glory to God.

Even though there aren’t a lot of adjectives to describe what Joseph’s pits were like and what his life was like while he journeyed through them, I think by nature of them being called “pits”, and because I have stops along my own journey of life that I would consider “pits”, I use my imagination and put together a small picture of what those places might have been like.

In Genesis chapter 39, from Joseph’s 3rd pit, the pit of prison, Joseph correctly interpreted a dream for his fellow prisoner, the chief cupbearer. In return he asked a tiny favor, a courtesy of sorts. Joseph asked the cupbearer to “Only remember me when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.”
Joseph asked him to mention his name to the king so that he could get out of the pit he was in.
And if you ask me he asked really nicely. He even said please.

Well, said chief cupbearer apparently reneged on the deal and after getting out of the pit himself ”did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

Probably Joseph had every reason to believe he would be exiting that pit on the heels of the cupbearer. I imagine him packing his bags (ok, folding his one extra shirt) and beginning to think hopeful thoughts about what he was going to do when he emerged from this pit.
Umm, not so fast Joseph…….your finish line just got moved.

The next thing recorded is : “After two whole years”… TWO. Whole. Years.….the cupbearer remembered Joseph and his dream interpreting abilities, mentions this to Pharaoh, and then Pharaoh calls Joseph “out of the pit.”
Two YEARS later.

Why did I start bawling like a baby when I read, “After two whole years”?
I think because I can relate to being in a pit that I didn’t plan to be in, didn’t “deserve” to be in,
and that I thought I would be OUT of LONG before now.
I have freshly experienced the disappointment and discouragement of finish lines in my life getting moved.

I’m crying as I reflect on the fact that scripture is seemingly silent about the details of these 2 “extra years”.
After chapter 40 ends with “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him”, there isn’t another holy word written to describe what happened in Joseph’s heart or his life or that pit as he remained there for the next 730 days. Nothing. Not. A. Word.
After the cliffhanger at the end of chapter 40 chapter 41 just begins by saying, “After two whole years….”.

To transition from chapter 40 to 41 following this story of Joseph we might take a slight pause because of a period at the end of a sentence and then inhale a little breath to continue reading his story.
My heart cries out, “but it isn’t just a breath worth of time!”. this guy was in. a. PIT! For TWO MORE YEARS!!

Not knowing if he would be in that pit for 2 more weeks, 2 more years, or even for the rest of his breathing days, how did Joseph endure these years? And of course I want to know his secret of endurance because I need endurance of my own right about now.

As I have searched and studied these passages about Joseph’s time specifically in this prison pit…. there is one profound snippet told to us I think that is key.
It’s in Genesis 39: 21 where we are told, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

The LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love.

We don’t need to know all the gory details about “pit / prison time”.
The LORD was with Joseph. The very presence of God was present with Joseph. He was all Joseph needed.
Ultimately He is all we need! In whatever pit’s we fall into or get PUT into along the path of life, the reality of God with us and the constancy of His pure and steadfast love toward us is. all. we. need.

To endure graciously, to keep walking the road ahead of me, I need to fix my gaze not on a clock or calendar or finish line, but rather fix my gaze on God Himself.

One more thing.
The LORD showed Joseph steadfast love.

Joseph must not have been stewing in his juice those 2 “extra’ years. He must not have been dwelling on angry thoughts and becoming bitter. Why do I think this is true?
Because Psalm 103 verse 11 and 17 talk about the truth that the Lord shows “steadfast love” to those who fear him.
To those who fear Him, He shows His steadfast love.
The LORD showed Joseph steadfast love.
Joseph feared and reverenced God. He didn’t grow angry or bitter toward him for his time in the pit (s).

My heart is flooded w/ encouragement as I consider Joseph’s story and his experiences in the pits.
I want to respond to my times in the pits of life by clinging to the goodness of the Lord, looking for His steadfast love, and trusting Him that no matter where I am or how long I’m there, His presence with me Is. Enough.

And because He is good. Because He is so good! And because He loves us, oftentimes this side of glory He chooses to mercifully and graciously lift us out of our earthly pits.
In His perfect time. For our good. And for His glory.

All praise, glory and honor to our God Who faithfully and graciously chooses to be “with us” and show us steadfast love. Our God of Psalm 103:4, He Who”redeems our life from the pit”.