Forgiveness Indeed

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, "if Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we have caused him."
So they sent this message to Joseph, "Before he died your father gave a command: 'Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brother's transgressions and their sin- the suffering they caused you. Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father," Joseph wept when their message came to him. Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, "We are your slaves!"
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me;God  planned it for good to bring about the present result- the survival of many people. Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:15-21

Joseph could see the big picture. God had planned to use his brother's malice for their good. The fact that Jospeh spent 10 years in prison was incidental to Joseph, he trusted God.

We have to lift our eyes above the now picture and look to God, what is the big picture? All things work to our good. Even the evil man is used by God for a purpose.

The waiting and heat of the prison can be overpowering at times but if we never give up and allow God to prune us we will find a result that brings Him glory.

Where is our hope? Who is our strength? What is the plan? What is my part in it?

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