Behind Closed Doors: When No One Sees What You’re Going Through
Have you ever had to keep going even when no one notices your hard work or your true feelings? Imagine you’re building something important—a business, a new idea, or even just trying to be a better friend or family member. And then, something happens that feels unfair. You did the right thing, but instead of being rewarded, you get stuck. Worse—maybe someone else gets credit or just doesn’t care. This is a lonely place. It can make you feel invisible, frustrated, or even a little betrayed by life.
That’s what Genesis 40 is all about. It tells the story of a young man, Joseph, who finds himself trapped in a place he doesn’t belong. But under the surface, the story shows how even those hidden, disappointing moments can be the turning points for bigger things.
This chapter isn’t just about a guy in an old jail cell. It’s about a part of you that wonders what to do when your gifts, loyalty, or dreams go unnoticed. How do you handle the long waits, the unfairness, the stuck times? And what surprises might be growing in your heart while you’re waiting?
The Story of Genesis 40: Joseph in the Royal Prison
Joseph is in prison. He didn’t do anything wrong—everything that got him arrested was unfair. He still behaves with courage and patience. One day, two important men—the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker—are thrown into the prison too. They each have mysterious dreams and they need help figuring out what their dreams mean.
“Pharaoh was angry with his two officers... the chief cup bearer and... the chief baker. He put them in custody, in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison... Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad. He asked...‘Why do you look so sad today?’... They said, ‘We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.’... Joseph said... ‘Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.’” (Genesis 40:2-8, WEB)
Literal Meaning
In a literal way, Joseph is stuck. He sees two new prisoners, notices they’re upset, and asks why. The men share their dreams, hoping Joseph can help. Joseph listens and gives hope, even though he can’t escape his own struggles.
Symbolic Meaning: The Prison Is Your Waiting Room
Joseph represents the quiet, steady part of you that keeps going when everything feels unfair. These moments—when you’re “in prison”, stuck and unseen—are not punishment. They’re where your hidden strengths get tested and refined.
- The cupbearer and baker are two sides of your own thoughts—optimism and doubt, hope and cynicism, both showing up when you’re stuck.
- The dreams are your desires, your wishes for something better. But you can’t figure them out on your own—you need deeper awareness.
- Joseph’s choice to pay attention, listen, and help others—even trapped himself—shows that awareness always brings new meaning, even to dull or difficult places.
Think about a time when you felt overlooked. Did you pretend it didn’t bother you, or did you try to notice what was really going on inside you? Did you end up giving someone else comfort even though you needed it yourself? That’s Joseph energy: showing up, aware, even in prison.
Dreams as Clues: What Are You Noticing?
“The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said... ‘I saw a vine in front of me... and blossoms and clusters of ripe grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; I took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh.’ Joseph said... ‘The three branches are three days. Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office...’” (Genesis 40:9-13, WEB)
The cupbearer dreams of serving Pharaoh again. In mystical terms, he is the part of you that hopes for restoration, breakthrough, or recognition—the feeling that all your efforts will pay off.
Right now, is there a part of your life where you wish you could just “get back” something you lost—a friendship, a job, a sense of possibility? That’s the meaning of the cupbearer’s dream.
Joseph listens and encourages him, “In three days, it will come back.” When you practice awareness—even in waiting—you sometimes glimpse hope before it happens. You start to sense that maybe, just maybe, everything could work out.
But Joseph doesn’t just solve the dream. He asks for something, too:
“But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.” (Genesis 40:14, WEB)
Joseph dares to hope for return—not just for himself but as a way for his awareness, his gifts, to finally be seen.
The Baker: What Happens When Doubts Creep In?
“When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, ‘I also was in my dream, and there were three baskets of white bread on my head... the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.’ Joseph answered... ‘The three baskets are three days. Within three days... Pharaoh will lift up your head—from off you—and will hang you on a tree. The birds will eat your flesh.’” (Genesis 40:16-19, WEB)
The baker, nervous but hopeful, shares his dream. But instead of good news, the dream is about loss—a project that doesn’t make it, an idea that gets ignored, or a feeling of failure.
- The baker inside you is your fear that things won’t work out—that your efforts will go to waste, that your talents will be lost or ignored.
- When “birds” take the bread, it’s like outside demands or distractions stealing your energy and time. Sometimes your best ideas get lost before anyone else even sees them.
- Facing the truth, as Joseph does, can be painful—but it is always the path to greater awareness and freedom.
Have you ever worked really hard on something, only to have it fall apart or be taken by someone else? How did you respond? Did you blame yourself, get angry at others, or figure out a new approach? That’s the baker’s lesson inside you.
Three Days: The Power of the Pause
“It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer... and he restored the cup bearer to his office... but he hanged the chief baker...” (Genesis 40:20-22, WEB)
After three days, everything Joseph said happens. One is restored; one is lost. Joseph is still waiting.
Why three days? In many stories, three days is the time for things to settle. It is the period of pause—the same way you need a weekend after a hard week, or a few days to clear your mind after a stressful event.
- It takes time for your wishes and your doubts to play out.
- Awareness is about noticing, patiently, how things develop—not forcing answers, but watching, feeling, and learning.
When You’re Forgotten: The Gift of Invisible Growth
“But the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.” (Genesis 40:23, WEB)
Maybe the hardest part of the story is this: Joseph helps others, but is forgotten. He stays in prison longer. No one hurries to rescue him. Life doesn’t reward him right away. But this doesn’t mean nothing is happening. In fact, sometimes it’s when no one is watching that your awareness, your skills, and your heart actually grow the most.
Think about the athletes, creators, or entrepreneurs you know who succeeded after years of being ignored. For example, J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, wrote her story with no guarantee anyone would care. Most publishers rejected her. But she kept showing up, kept writing, kept believing in her story—just like Joseph.
The period of being “forgotten” is actually where you get ready for what comes next. Is there something in your life right now that feels stagnant or slow, even though you are trying your best? Maybe that’s your “Joseph moment”—a time to keep growing inside, trusting that your awareness will lead somewhere bigger soon.
Putting It All Together: What Genesis 40 Teaches About Your Inner World
- Every character is you. Joseph is your resilience and willingness to see meaning, even in hard times. The cupbearer and baker are your hopes and fears about being restored or forgotten. The prison is any life situation where you feel stuck, but where you can grow if you pay attention.
- Awareness is the light in darkness. When you pause and notice what’s happening, you see both your dreams and your doubts—and you can choose which to nurture.
- Growth sometimes happens in silence. Being overlooked or “forgotten” isn’t a sign you’ve failed. It’s part of the process. Keep going, keep believing, and know that everything you do with awareness builds your future.
How Can You Use This Right Now?
Try this simple exercise today:
- Notice where you feel stuck or unseen. Is there a place in your life, work, or relationships where you’re waiting for someone to notice you? Write it down.
- Ask yourself: Who around me needs encouragement? Like Joseph, can you support others right now—without needing a reward?
- Reflect: What hidden strengths am I growing while I wait? What are you learning about yourself in these quiet times?
What’s Next?
In the next chapter (Genesis 41), Joseph’s time of waiting comes to an end in a way he could never have planned. His awareness, patience, and ability to notice what others miss finally open the doors to a completely new level of life.
If you stick with your own process—watching, waiting, helping, learning—one day soon, you may find yourself stepping into your own big moments, too. The hidden is only temporary; everything you need is growing, even now.
