Overcoming Hurt

 Overcoming Hurt


The life of Joseph is a fascinating one. What we learn about his adventures is that no matter the evil that was done to him God always worked things out for his advantage. Joseph's attitude through the whole ordeal is quite extraordinary. He had every reason to be bitter. He had every reason to be angry, and no doubt there would have been moments in his silence where he was. But in the end, he held onto the truth that God had a greater plan and purpose for him. Take note of what he says to his brothers when he reveals himself to them in Genesis 45:4-7,

"And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance."

First thing to note is that the brothers had no idea who Joseph was. As far as they knew, he was dead. Once they sold him, they took no care to monitor his progress nor try to get him back. They did not deserve his favor any more than they deserved his condemnation. Yet we will see that Joseph cared not for revenge but rather God's plan and purpose.

The second thing to note is that even though the brothers sort to get rid of him, it actually was all part of God's plan to preserve their own lives. Think about that for a moment; Joseph tells them that God actually sent him away not his brothers. Why did God do that? To preserve the family of Jacob. Things goes all the way back to Joseph's dreams he had while with his brothers that led to him being sold. God showed Joseph even back then. It was the brothers who did not believe what God had showed them. 

What we learn from this is simply this; God leads you to where He wants you to be but not everyone will share in that revelation. Instead, people will choose their own paths and act out of their own interests and leave you to stay the course that God has for you.

God has a plan in place for not only you and the call He has placed on your life. But He will eventually reveal that to those who need to see it. God is never finished with you no matter how bad things get.

For me, I am not sure what the future holds. I know God has led to where I am. I am not sure of those around me are convinced of that, but what I do know is that through these despairing moments, God has not finished with me yet. I know He will bring about for God what others meant for evil. I just need to trust that God will finish what He started in me.

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