As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:20 ESV)
For the most part of my life, people have been really good to me. Even most non-Christians have a sense of good within them. However, there have been some people in life, Christian and non-Christian, who have done evil and bad things to me. I shudder even as I think of those moments.
Joseph had been wronged by his brothers in a terrible way. They beat him up and placed him in a pit and sold him into slavery. 16+ years later he is rescued by God and placed in a position of authority. As famine spread across the land, Joseph's brothers come face to face with Joseph in order to get food for their family. As Joseph's identity is revealed they become afraid for the evil they inflicted on Joseph. Joseph's response is classic - "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."
Wouldn't it be wonderful to share that response about all the bad and evil that people have been brought our way.
The key: Joseph forgave his brothers and put the evil done to him into God's hands.
Too often, because of certain events of bad and evil we hold onto those offenses and keep a ledger of the wrongs done to us. Our goal, consciously or unconsciously, is that someday we will get revenge for all the hurt that has come our way.
This only causes more pain and suffering.
When I first started pastoring, my dad flew up from California to visit me in Washington. We sat in my office as he asked me how I was doing. I took out a little notebook with a ledger of all the wrong people had done to me. The look of dismay in my dad's eyes immediately told me that I was in trouble.
He immediately explained, "Bill, that is the worse thing you do. Destroy that list. Get rid of it and never do it again."
In front of my dad, I shredded that piece of paper and threw it away - becoming a better man as a result.
He then took me to the scriptures and explained again the principles of forgiveness.
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; (Hebrews 12:15 ESV)
When we fail to see God's grace in our lives and the lives of those offending us - a root of bitterness springs up causing us trouble. Ultimately, it defiles us.
Someone once said, "The first to apologize is the bravest, the first to forgive is the strongest, and the first to forget is the happiest." So true.
Look at what Jesus teaches from the Book of Matthew...
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV)
It is true, that while we live on this earth, we will be offended and hurt and wounded. It will happen to you at sometime or another. However, it is how you handle that hurt and offence that will determine your present happiness. We can handle it "our way" or we can handle it "God's way."
Our response should always be what Joseph's was "you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good."
The sooner that we realize that God has the ability to turn those things around for us - the better we will be. Allow His sovereignty to take control and allow Him to put the pieces of your puzzle so that you might be mightily used by God.
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