Last night before bed I was reading one of my favorite stories in the Bible, and this story always brings me peace.
In Genesis 37-50 we read of the life of Joseph, a young man who knew what trials and hardship really were. He was thrown in a hole by his own brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused of a crime, and then thrown into a prison and ultimately forgotten. How could he still have hope? It amazes me when reading this wonderful story how he didn’t become a bitter and mean person. We see him from being thrown into a pit, all the way to being second in command over all of Egypt. It is such a beautiful story and in the middle of the storms of life, I am given such hope because of one sentence…
Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
At this point of the story Joseph is speaking to his brothers who had caused him so much pain. Joseph had revealed who he was to them and reminded them of God’s goodness not only for his life, but so many people he was given charge of during the famine. Joseph had the opportunity to take his revenge on his brothers. With such a famine in the land he could have easily said no, I won’t give you food to take to your people, but Joseph was able to see that all of his hardships had come full circle and he knew that God had made a way. God allowed the pit, being sold, thrown in prison, and was with him every step of the way. Without all the things he had been through, there would be no provision for them.
I look back at my own life, the things that I’ve walked through and its been the hand of God through ever failure, every sin, and every victory. Through these moments in my life God has cleared a path and allowed me to live. There are things in my past that have hurt and cut me to the bone. Times when I absolutely was sure that God couldn’t or wouldn’t hear me. Today I look around and see what he’s done for me. I am by no means where I should be, but like Joseph every single heartache, failure and victory has been God’s amazing grace leading me to where I need to be. So I pray for the ones who can’t seem to see a way out of the “pit” of life. I pray that they will see Your hand in all their struggles, and as they seek You, I ask that You clear a path.❤️