God's favor

I was reading Genesis 39 this morning. Joseph was sold into slavery in the previous chapters. Here is a verse that stuck out to me

When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. (Gen 39:3)

I got to thinking, WHY didn't God just have favor on him EARLIER and keep him out of slavery?

Then I read further about the wife of his master who falsely accused Joseph of attempted sexual assault. Joseph ended up in jail. But there:

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Gen 39:20-21)

Why didn't God just have favor and kindness back when the wife was after him?

Then a thought occurred to me. The fact that Joseph ended up in slavery and in jail was because of other people's choices. This is huge for me right now. I can only work with my own choices and my attitudes in them. Other people may make choices that effect me! And sometimes that stinks! It is life. But that does not mean God is not with me. In fact he can create incredible situations for me even in the middle of a mess that someone else made. I might want to be on the lookout for that!