God never wastes His time.

Although it seems to us

That Joseph wasted his time for 13 years

When he was hated by his older brothers (Gen. 37:4, 5)

And was sold to the merchants (v. 28)

And became a slave at an Egyptian Potiphar (39:1)

When he was 17 years old (37:2)

And was in prison (39:20-23) for 2 years (41:1)

And was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt (v. 41)

When he was 30 years old (v. 46)

God never wasted His time.

God delivered Joseph from the cistern (37:20, 22)

And raised him as Potiphar’s attendant (39:4).

Although it seems that Joseph wasted his 2 years

While he was falsely accused and was in prison,

God showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden (39:21-22).

Not only God allowed Joseph to meet the cupbearer of the king of Egypt (40:1)

But He also made the cupbearer to introduce Joseph to King Pharaoh after 2 years (41:9-13)

And interpreted the Pharaoh’s dreams

So that he was put in charge of the whole land of Egypt (v. 41).

Like this, the reason why God didn’t waste Joseph’s 13 years (vv. 17-30)

And raised him to be in charge of the whole land of Egypt

Was to save and preserve the Jacob’s and his descendants’ lives on earth (45:5, 7).