When Joseph’s brothers saw their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid, I will provide for you and your children.”
And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Genesis 50:15-21
I’ve often wondered what made Joseph so forgiving in the face of such blatant cruelty, jealousy, and forgotten”ness”.
He was sold by his brothers (Genesis 37:28), sold as a slave (37:36), lied about by Potiphar’s wife (39:10-18), and forgotten by Pharaoh’s cup-bearer (40:20). And yet, through all of these trials, there is never a hint of Joseph doubting God, struggling to remain faithful or lamenting his fate. Joseph did not just endure…He thrived…and forgave.
There is a recurring theme throughout Joseph’s life…He rose above his circumstances.
“Sell me to slave traders – My home will become a wealthy man’s household”.
“Throw me in prison and forget about me – God will use me to interpret dreams”.
“Give me an opportunity to have revenge on my brothers – I’ll forgive them instead.”
And I go back to my question…How? How can someone who has endured so much…forgive…simply forgive. What made Joseph a man who could look past the hurts, humiliations and unjust actions of others? I believe one reason is that he “planted seeds of forgiveness”. He planted these seeds deep into his heart, watered them with knowledge and nurtured them throughout his life. Joseph was confident of his place in God’s plan. This confidence led to the acceptance of challenges and an ability to rise above circumstances. Joseph did not allow anger or revenge to distort the “big picture” of his purpose in God’s plan.
How do we replicate this confidence? How can we prepare ourselves to forgive others?
First…Do not wait until forgiveness is needed to decide how to handle it. We must make the decision to forgive before an offense is ever committed. Christ came to this earth KNOWING (Isaiah 53:12) he would ask his Father to forgive those who tortured Him. Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them…”. Christ understood it was a choice He would make in order to please His Father…to fulfill prophecy. He made the decision to forgive…even before He was beaten, tortured and hung on the cross.
Second…Plant yourself near HIS stream. “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8. Struggles will come. Life is not always unicorns and daisies. We must be prepared to deal with the betrayal of a confidence, a spouse who disappoints, the gossip who targets you, the co-worker who takes credit. God will guide you through but you must hold on. Hold on to His hope…His plan. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” Genesis 50:20
Third…Let your actions speak for themselves. Joseph persevered through betrayal,slavery and prison. He lived Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Life is hard. Forgiveness is hard. When we learn to forgive and let go of both the significant and insignificant hurts and betrayals of life…that will be the moment we fully understand “God intended it for good”.
Joseph understood God’s bigger plan. He may not have known what it would look like…but he understood God was going to use him for greatness. Joseph planted and nurtured seeds of forgiveness…then trusted God to do the rest. Joseph understood each leg of his journey was leading Him closer to fulfilling God’s plan for his life.
Plant…Water…Nurture
Forgive
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its’ work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
Listen to His Voice,
Lee Ann
