“You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened.”—Genesis 50:20 (GNT)

I just finished reading the book of Genesis with my Bible reading plan. The story of Joseph really left an impression on my heart this week. In chapter 37 of Genesis, Joseph’s brother’s jealousy resulted in them wanting to kill him. Rather than murder him, they settled on selling him into slavery to merchants that took him to Egypt. His brother’s told their father, Jacob, that he had been killed by a wild animal. They never expected to ever see him again.

That was until a famine came to their land and they had to travel to Egypt to buy grain for survival. Part of God’s plan for Joseph was to save His people. Joseph eventually became a ruler in Egypt who was responsible for distributing the grain to Egypt and the surrounding nations. From being sold into slavery by his own family to being put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he never became bitter or dreamed of revenge. 

Romans 8:28 tells us that God can use all things for the good for those that love Him. Some people may interpret this to mean that if we love God and live a Christian life that we are less likely to have problems. This couldn’t be further from the truth. My interpretation is, despite what happens to me in my life, just as He did with Joseph, God will weave together the hardships and heartache into something that will bring Him glory when I choose to not cling to past hurts. 

Despite what is going on in our world and immediately around us, when I choose to have a heart of thanksgiving, my attitude changes. What Joseph’s brothers meant for evil, God used for good. When he first saw them, he knew exactly who they were. They had no idea it was him. This would have been the perfect opportunity for Joseph to get revenge, yet he chose to forgive them. 

God opened Joseph’s eyes and heart to reveal how He used him to save his family. Had Joseph not been sold into slavery, taken to Egypt and at one time imprisoned, he would have never had the position of power that he had. Rather than become a bitter, angry, or vengeful, he remained steadfast in God’s laws and love. Even though he was living in the midst of paganism, he never abandoned his religion. 

Do we proclaim our faith in the middle of chaos? Faith is what makes or breaks us when faced with adversity. I know it is not easy to proclaim God’s faithfulness in our pain. I am now able to look back and see the wisdom and compassion that I have gained through my sufferings. God can use our pain to not only strengthen our faith but it can also make us more like Jesus. In the midst of our trials, we can still thank God for His steadfast love. I am thankful that nothing can separate me from God. No trial or disappointment can take me away from Him.

When trials and tribulations come your way, what is your first response? I don’t ever stop loving God. Part of the journey is trusting God to get me to the other side. Reading stories about people in the Bible such as Joseph, give me hope that God can bring beauty out of things that Satan intends to use to harm.

Father God,

I ask for forgiveness when I question Your steadfast love for me. Thank You for using trials in my life to bring about transformation. Only You can use our hardships to bring You glory. I ask for strength when faced with adversity. I lift those up to You this week that are struggling with disappointment. Open their eyes to see Your hand in their life. It is in the name of Jesus that I pray these things. Amen.

January Verse
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”—Psalm 119:105

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