“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.’” – Genesis 45:4 NJKV

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…” – Genesis 50:20 NKJV

Jesus said that in this world, trouble is unavoidable.  It will happen.  No one escapes the sting of hurtful words, the pain of insult, the harshness of injustice.  Some of us may be victims of abuse and neglect.  Still others may be suffering the brokenness of failed relationships.  Jesus doesn’t call us to avoid hurt and pain at all costs – instead, He asks us to give it to Him.  As the perfect model of forgiveness, He calls us to forgive others the same way He forgave us. 

Joseph was a man filled with dreams and destiny.  At the age of seventeen, the Lord showed Joseph in a dream that he would become a leader with authority, with his own family bowing down to him.  Upon learning Joseph’s revelations, Joseph’s brothers were not so excited about this destiny.  They decided to interfere and plotted to kill him.  Throwing him into a pit, they had sat down to eat when they encountered some traders on their way to Egypt.  Suddenly, selling Joseph seemed to be a great idea!  They could get rid of their hated younger brother while making a profit.

Thus began Joseph’s incredible story, rising from slavery in Egypt to second in command to Pharaoh.  He lived apart from his family for many years until one day, his brothers came to Egypt, desperately looking for food because there was a famine in the land.  Joseph was suddenly confronted with the wrong done to him when he was a teenager.  He had to make a choice, and so do we.

True forgiveness recognizes the sovereignty of God in every situation.  When we forgive others and give God the hurt and pain in our lives, we can do this from a place of understanding that nothing, not even sin, can thwart God’s purpose for our lives.  Like He did with Joseph, God uses the wrongs done to us to weave together a beautiful story of purpose and destiny.

In Genesis 45, we see Joseph coming to the place of total forgiveness.  Finally allowing himself to be open and vulnerable, he weeps in front of his brothers instead of hiding his tears.  Softening his heart, and with a spirit of transparency, he tells his brothers who he really is: “I am Joseph; does my father still live?”  Joseph invites his brothers into fellowship once again, recognizing that God allowed their actions to be the ink that wrote his story. 

From the story of Joseph, we learn that true forgiveness requires:

• Transparency: Joseph allowed his brothers to see him for who he really was.
• Vulnerability: Joseph exposed his deep emotions and heart.
• Intimacy: Joseph invited his brothers back into intimate, brotherly love.
• Truth with compassion: Joseph removed the fear and hesitation that stood in the way of coming near to his brothers, speaking truth with a heart of compassion.

Through Joseph’s forgiveness, he was reconciled with his family and reunited with his beloved father.  The Lord blessed Joseph and his father Jacob, as Joseph used his God-given business wisdom to prosper and become wealthy, despite the famine.

From the story of Joseph, we learn that true forgiveness brings:

• Release and freedom, as we are no longer burdened by hurt and resentment.
• Destiny, as it allows God to fully work in our hearts and lives, and gives us the ability to fully walk in our God-ordained destiny.
• Deeper trust in the Lord, as we recognize that God turns harm into good.
• An increase in our ministry, as God can now entrust us with more influence, resources, and people.

Our prayer for you today is that you will experience the power of true forgiveness, releasing your burdens to the Lord.  Allow God to increase your ministry, fully embracing His sovereignty and the destiny He has for your entire life!

Reflection:  What does true forgiveness require and brings from Joseph’s experience? How can this be applied to your personal life.

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