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“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”  Genesis 50:20

The story of Joseph is one riddled with trials and victories.  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, separated from his family for many years, and thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.  But he also interpreted dreams and became Pharaoh’s right-hand man, and eventually saved people from famine because God had him store up food from a previous time of abundance.

I imagine that Joseph never woke up and thought, “Man, I sure hope I get sold into slavery one day, and also spend some time in jail!”  Joseph probably didn’t imagine that one day he would be the mastermind behind feeding the people of Egypt during a severe famine, either.  While the Bible doesn’t say what Joseph thought his life would be like, it’s safe to say that his life did not turn out like he thought.

Have you ever had a dream or a prayer that wasn’t answered as you had hoped?  Has your life turned out a little different than you thought?  Me, too.  For many years, I had a dream for something good, something that would bless me and those around me for years to come.  But for some reason, God said no to my dream.  Year after year, His answer was still no.

I’m extremely thankful for all the blessings in my life, and I know that God has worked all things in my life for His good.  However, I am sometimes tempted to think about my unanswered prayer and the “why” behind it- why was my prayer not answered when others seem to get the same prayer answered?  Did God not see me and care about me?

Maybe you’ve fallen into this trap too, comparing yourself to others or believing that God isn’t good to you.  Maybe your life hasn’t turned out exactly how you thought it would.   Maybe you are going through a hard season with a job, a relationship, or an illness.  In times of hardship, it’s so easy to focus on our problems and take our eyes off the One who can help us weather our storms.  But when we do that, we miss out on seeing how God is working all things for our good, and we run the risk of our hearts turning hard.

I find it inspiring how Joseph didn’t let the trials of his life fill his heart with bitterness and rage. Imagine if Joseph had decided to ignore his God-given ability to interpret dreams because he was too busy focusing on how terrible he’d been treated by his brothers.  Or, what if he had decided that he was just going to let the abundant crops get eaten by the birds instead of storing them up for the famine because he wanted to do something different with his life?

Instead, Joseph used the unimaginable events in his life to trust God and bless those around him.  When he finally saw his brothers again, Joseph said something that seems impossible: “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 50:20-21

Isn’t that amazing?  After all that Joseph had been through, he knew that God was in control, working in his life for good.  He didn’t respond to his family with bitterness, but with kindness and love.  Only God could have made that possible!

“Lord, help us choose to focus on You and Your goodness, instead of letting our hearts turn hard from of the trials in this life.”

For His Glory

Aubrey Carrales
TRBC Women’s Life