Choosing to Forgive

Scripture:
Genesis 45:5, “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

Observation:
If anyone did, Joseph had every right to be mad at his brothers. All those years separated from his family, spent as a slave in Potiphar’s house, spent in prison after being wrongly accused, left alone and forgotten by Pharaoh’s officials – all of them could be traced back to Joseph’s brother’s decision to sell him as a slave. It seems it would have been easy for Joseph to blame all those years on his brothers, and now was his chance to get his revenge.
 
But Joseph chose a different route – the route of forgiveness. Joseph chose not to focus on all the bad things that had happened in his life. Instead, he chose to see how God had used those things to place him where he is now. Now Joseph was in a place where he could preserve life – even the life of his family. Even though they had done him harm all those years ago, Joseph chose to bless even those who had harmed him (Luke 6:28).
 
Application:
When we’re in the midst of hardship, it’s hard to see the big picture. Typically, I want to blame or strike back at others for my circumstances. But this passage teaches me two different responses.
 
This teaches me to forgive, and to not hold a grudge against others for wrongs committed against me. I’m reminded of what Jesus said in the reading yesterday in Luke 17:4: “If (a brother) sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Joseph lived this out.
 
This passage also encourages me to look past my immediate circumstances and focus on the bigger picture. God had a plan for Joseph’s life. How sad would it be if Joseph had given up on God or himself all those years in prison? He would have missed all that God had for him in life. And all the generations of Christians since him would have missed out on the encouragement that comes from his story.
 
Prayer:
Lord, I pray that you would help me to develop an attitude more like Joseph’s. Help me to be more forgiving, even to those who harm me personally. Help me to realize how much I have been forgiven. Thank you for not holding all my sins against me, but for extending grace and mercy when I didn’t deserve it. Develop this same character in me.
 
I pray also that I would learn to not focus so intently on the here and now, but that I would constantly be setting my heart and mind on things above – on things eternal. I know you have a plan and purpose for my life. I pray that I wouldn’t allow the circumstances of my life to so distract me that I miss seeing you.
 
— Michael Manuel, college & single adult pastor