“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
Remember the story of Joseph?
His brothers were jealous because he was the favorite son, so they sold him into slavery. He was taken to Egypt, and for the first 40 years of his life, everything went wrong. He worked as a slave, was falsely accused of rape, and was thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, just to name a few.
For decades, nothing seemed to go right for Joseph—but God put him exactly where he wanted him to be. He knew that Joseph would be raised up to become the second most powerful leader in Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world at that time. And because of that, Joseph was able to save Egypt and Israel from famine.
Not only did he save two nations from starvation, but he also saved his family—the ones who sold him into slavery. When his brothers appeared before him, Joseph could have confronted them and punished them for what they did to him.
But what was Joseph’s attitude toward his brothers? He treated them with grace, not bitterness. He was able to do that because he saw God’s greater perspective and purpose. He knew God could use even the biggest hurt in his life for good.
Joseph said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT). God took the terrible sin of Joseph’s brothers and used it to eventually save many people.
There will always be people in your life who have bad intentions, who will resent you, criticize you, and hurt you. There will be times when you are the innocent victim of someone else’s sin. There is no way around it.
You may not understand it—but you don’t have to! Like Joseph, maybe you can’t change your circumstances. Or maybe you’re wondering how you’re going to make it through or what God is doing. You can trust that God sees, he cares, and he will bring justice.
God can use everything, good or bad, to accomplish his purposes. His good plan to grow your character and make you more like Jesus will not be changed by other people. What others intend for bad, he will use for good.
Sometimes we do not see how God is using our pain for good until many years later. Do you have an example of that from your life? What did you eventually learn about God through that painful situation?
Why are painful circumstances sometimes the best way for us to grow more like Jesus?
Where do you get the power to treat people who hurt you with grace and not bitterness? Can you do it on your own?
Have you chosen to trust Jesus for your salvation?
The Bible says we can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. And we don't need to earn God's love or work our way into heaven. The Bible says, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).
If you haven't trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer? If you're ready to step across that line and make a decision to believe in Jesus and follow him, pray this prayer:
“Dear Jesus, you promised that if I believe in you, everything I've ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
“I confess my sin, and I believe that you are my Savior. You have promised that if I confess my sin and trust you, I will be saved. I trust you when you say that salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord.
“Today I'm turning over every part of my life to your management. You have the right to call the shots in my life. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In your name I pray. Amen.”
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