Don’t Fret. It Was Meant for Your Good: The Life of Joseph
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 KJV).
Familiar with this scripture? Most people are. However, knowing the Word is often easier than applying it to our daily lives. When bad things happen it can be hard to be optimistic, and it can be even harder to believe that God will work things out for your good. But rest assured that He can and He will, IF YOU LET HIM. That’s right; we have to allow God to work. What does that mean? Well, it means that we have to be willing to let go of anger, hurt, and bitterness that resulted from something that happened to us. If we don’t let go of these things, we become blinded by our emotions and can’t see God’s will.
Let’s examine the life of Joseph…
Jacob knew he wanted to marry Rachel, but Rachel’s father insisted he marry Leah (the older sister). But, he was determined so he worked 20 years for their father so he could marry both. Well, it turns out that Leah could have many children, but Rachel couldn’t. However, eventually Rachel gave Jacob two sons: Joseph and Benjamin. When Joseph was born he was considered a miracle and therefore received special treatment. His ten older brothers became very jealous and sold him off to slavery in Egypt.
Joseph had every right to be angry with his brothers for selling him into slavery. But he didn’t let that cripple him. Instead he worked hard in Egypt and gained the trust of many. Most important, God had given Joseph the gift of interpreting dreams. This gift led Joseph to save all of Egypt, including his own family who came to Egypt for food during the time of the seven year famine. Can you imagine the surprise of his brothers when they saw that their brother, whom they sold into slavery, was now the second in command of all of Egypt? What they really felt was shame and guilt.
What should we learn from Joseph…
See- Joseph was angry when he saw his brothers. After all, he is human like the rest of us. But he was able to set his emotions aside and see that what was meant for bad, God worked for the good. His brothers feared he would retaliate. But they were wrong. Here’s what Joseph told his brothers:
“Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Easy now, you have nothing to fear; I’ll take care of you and your children.” He reassured them, speaking with them heart-to-heart”. (Genesis 50:19-2, MSG)
The Lesson…
1. Don’t let our emotions block us from doing God’s will
2. Let go of anger, bitterness, and hurt
3. Trust in God’s Will and believe that he works everything out for our good
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