"Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." (Psalm 37:3)
“So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 'Here comes that dreamer!' they said to each other. 'Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.'” (Gen. 37:18)
Joseph had tremendous difficulties and pain in his life. Joseph's brothers hated him because their father favored him and loved him more than any of his brothers (Genesis 37:4). Joseph then shared his dreams with his brothers that implied he would rule over them and they hated him all the more (Gen. 37:8). Because they were jealous of him, they plotted to kill him (Genesis 37:20). However, they changed their mind at the last minute because one of the brothers spoke up and so they decided to sell Joseph into slavery instead (Genesis 37:27).
After being sold into slavery, Joseph, as a young man, probably in his late teens (Genesis 37:2) ended up as a slave to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials (Genesis 39:1). As difficult circumstances as this must have been for him, Joseph did not resist or fight his circumstances, becoming bitter. Instead, he embraced where God placed him and put his whole heart into his labors, looking to be faithful to God. As a result, he was blessed by the Lord and prospered.
“The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.” (Genesis 39:2-5)
Psalm 37:32-33“The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the Lord will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land..."
However, being blessed by God or being faithful to God did not keep Joseph from difficulties. When Joseph refused to sin against God by sleeping with Potiphar's wife, she slandered him and had him thrown in prison (Genesis 39:8-20).
Even in prison, Joseph did not become bitter in his difficulties. Instead he again willingly embraced his circumstances and sought to be faithful to God. As a result, God prospered him in prison.
“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:21-23).
Psalm 37:12-19
“The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The blameless spend their days under the Lord's care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.”
Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Cupbearer and Baker of the king of Egypt while he was in prison with them. Then he asked the Cupbearer, “But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon” (Genesis 40:14-15).
“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously... The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip” (Psalm 37:37:21,30-31)
The Cupbearer was restored to position as Joseph had told him but he failed to mention to the Pharaoh about Joseph until two years later. When the Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, the Cupbearer remembered Joseph and he was let out of prison to interpret the dream (Genesis 41:9-14) .
I can't image what life was like for Joseph, being hated by his brothers so deeply, being sold into slavery, and then unjustly living out much of his young adult years in a dungeon. However, in all of this, Joseph did not become bitter. He remained faithful to God and embraced his circumstances. He hoped for better, but did what he could to be faithful wherever God placed him.
In Joseph's faithfulness to God despite his difficult circumstances, God blessed him and he became second to Pharoah. “So Pharaoh asked them, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one whom is the spirit of God? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you" (Genesis 42:38-40).
Jon Bloom writes about the story of Joseph's life in Genesis, “The common thread Joseph traced through all the stories, the one thing God seemed to honor and bless more than anything else, was faith. Abraham trusted God's word. Isaac trusted God's word. Rebekah trusted God's word. Jacob trusted God's word. All of them ultimately saw God's faithfulness to his promises, despite circumstances and their own failings. " 1
"Faith-fueled peace doused the anxious fire in Joseph's chest. 'I trust you, my God,' he whispered. 'Like my forefathers, I will wait for you. I have no idea what my being in an Egyptian prison has to do with your purposes. But I will keep honoring you here where you have placed me. Bring your word to pass as it seems best to you. I am yours. Use me!...” 2
David writes in Psalm 37:1-11,
“Do not fret because those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
“Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for this place
and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”
So often, we can think of prosperity as having to do with our circumstances. If we are given what we want and all things in our life align for our betterment, we think we are prospering. Looking at Joseph's circumstance in this light, it hardly seemed that he was prospering. However, the word David is using here is actually, shalom (Strongs #7965) which means peace, contentment, or peace in relationships. God gave Jacob peace toward his brothers, and all those who wrongfully treated him, in the midst of his suffering.
As Joseph trusted in the Lord and did good no matter his circumstances, he was given peace in the midst of turmoil all around him. And as he delighted himself in the Lord during his trials and difficulties, he was given the desires of his heart – a deeper relationship with God. His relationship with God had become so prevalent in Joseph's life while he was suffering in the dungeon that Pharaoh asked, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one whom is the spirit of God?” (Gen. 42:38)
As promised, God brought forth his 'righteousness as the light' and his judgment as the noonday.' (Psalm 37:6). Joseph “shined like the brightness of the sky above” (Dan. 12:3) as he freely gave his life away for others.
“Blessed are those who do my commands. I am the Bright and Morning Star. I will cause you to shine” is playing in the background.
Jon Bloom writes, “Sometimes faithfulness to God and his word sets us on a course where circumstances get worse, not better. It is then that knowing God's promises and his ways are crucial. Faith in God's future grace for us is what sustains us in those desperate moments.” 3
“I pray Lord break me, I pray Lord take me, I pray Lord make me all I've failed to be” sings in the background.
As Jon Bloom goes on to note, “We all love the fairytale ending of Joseph's story.” 4 However, a fairytale ending was not what Joseph was seeking after. He was seeking to be faithful to God. And many stories do not end in a fairytale. In the case of John the Baptist and many of the disciples, their lives ended in being put to death for their faith. One thing that all of them had in common is that none of them were living for what they have in this life. They were looking to things to come.
In the book of Hebrews, the Christians are encouraged to look to this hope to come in all their persecution. They were told, “Remember those earlier days after you received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, 'In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. And, 'But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:32-39).
“I'm committed to the finish until the setting of the sun. Lord I will be faithful in all I say and do. To live a love that never fails, to love my neighbor as my self, and to give till there is nothing left to give. To live a faith that never dies, to be crucified with Christ, until all that lives through me is a message” sings in the background.
Joseph, like his fathers who went before him had faith and hope in God. They did not put their hope in their circumstances being good, but rather God being good. Joseph knew God's love and had his eyes toward home:
“Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16).
In this place of love and assurance, he was free to love others as freely as he had been loved.
While Joseph had pain about his past, he did not hold a grudge. He forgave and looked for what God had for him out of all his suffering. His first child he named, “Manasseh” or 'forget' because God had made him forget all his trouble and his fathers household (Gen. 41:51). His second child he named “Ephraim, or 'twice fruitful' because he was fruitful in the land of his suffering (Gen. 41:52).
David says in Psalm 37:39-40, “But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.”
Joseph saw what God was doing in his suffering. And, he looked for how God would use him to give his life away for others. When he finally told his brothers who he was, he sobbed so loud that everyone heard him. Then he told his brothers, “do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:5-7).
Steven Covey, at some point, once said something to the effect: When you are bit by a snake, it is not the snake bite that is the most harmful, it is chasing after that sucker that drives the poison to your heart.
Paul says in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” When we respond to injury in bitterness, resentment, anger, disdain, contempt, and/or revenge, it will poison our hearts. It will cause us much greater harm that the original hurt.
David says in Psalm 37:11, “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” The main definition for meek, according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is "enduring injury with patience and without resentment." It is only when we endure injury with patience and without resentment that we will experience peace and prosperity.
As we hold onto resentments for past injuries, they poison our hearts more and more. Too often we our quick to blame the other person for our lack of peace due to the harm we feel they caused us. In reality, our lack of peace is caused by our own responses. We need to let go of them and not hold onto grudges. Our responses need to be that of forgiveness like Joseph.
As one article notes, "Holding resentments is choice. A choice to refuse to forgive; and unwillingness to let bygones be bygones.... We cling to a futile need to be right, which overrides the capacity to be at peace...." As the article notes, we need to acknowledge that we cannot control those who have harmed us and make a choice to forgive. 5
As another article notes, "Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you may always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life."
As this article notes, forgiveness makes the way for compassion. Once we forgive, we are free, like Joseph, to love and give in response to those who harmed us. Joseph freely gave his life away to others. Psalm 37:26 says about the righteous, “They are always generous and lend freely; their children are a blessing.”
When Joseph's father died, his brothers sent him a note saying, “'Your father left these instructions before he died: This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.' When their message came to him, Joseph wept.” (Genesis 50:16-17).
His brothers were not repenting because they felt bad for the tremendous pain and difficulty they caused their brother. They were repenting because they were afraid that Joseph might 'pay them back' and hold a grudge. They were afraid for what would happen to themselves and their families.
Joseph did not respond in any anger or resentment. Instead he said to them, “Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for 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” (Gen. 50:19-21).
Dallas Willard writes, “To welcome others, to make a place for them and provide for them, is one of the most life-giving and life-receiving things a human being can do. These are the basic, universal acts of love. Our lives were meant to be full of such acts, drawing on the abundance of God. Such love is possible because of what God is: love.” 6
As Dallas Willard notes, “Jesus gave a sure mark of the outcome of spiritual formation: we become people who love one another (see John 13:35). This love is not unspecified: 'Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another' (verse 34, NRSV, emphasis added). The 'love' in question here is identified as what we do in Christ, as he has done for us. This love makes us ready to 'lay down our lives for the brethren' (1 John 3:16).” 7
In Matthew 5:38-48 Jesus says, "You have heard it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard it said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
In his writing, Dallas Willard paints a picture of a meeting that discussion is governed by “self-giving, self-perpetuating love.” He says, “You and I would love each other with Christlike love, and together we would love the third person with us.” He adds about people encountering such an experience, 'Wouldn't everyone want to be a Christian? Wouldn't wounded people flock to our church?” 8
He notes, “Such love, however, involves an openhanded death: 'This is how we know what live is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers' (1 John 3:16, NIV, emphasis added). We will have to die to ourselves -to the desire to be first, to control, to be admired, to be sought after. For 'we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be revealed, then we will be revealed with him, glorious' (Colossians 3:3-4, PAR). But what could be better than being 'hid with Christ in God?' That's exactly where a person in union with God would want to be. As we die to ourselves, we come to participate in a resurrected sort of life (see Philippians 3:11). With such a Jesus-based way of life, we become one who nourishes and cherishes the person next to us.” 9
“Lord I give my life, a living sacrifice, to reach a world in need” sings in the background.
Lord, I deeply long to live a life of union with you that results in such an overflow of love that people who don't know Christ would desire to know Him. I long to follow more closely in your footsteps, even as it means pain and difficulty in my life. You embraced the cross as you carried it. Give me the strength and courage to embrace difficult circumstances and injuries rather than run from them or respond in bitterness and resentment. I long to be more faithful to You. Forgive me where I have been holding onto resentment and driving poison into my heart. Help me to be much more quick to forgive others and respond with compassion and love.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
“It's gonna be worth it all!!” sings in the background.
1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
2. 1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
3. 1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
4. 1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
5. Mark Sichel. 10 Steps to Letting Go of Resentment. Taken from Healing from Family Rifts. Available at: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/what-recovery/63491-10-steps-letting-go-resentment.html. Accessed 3/31/10
6. Mayo Clinic Staff. Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/forgiveness/mh00131 Accessed: 3/31/10
7. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
8. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
9. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
Joseph had tremendous difficulties and pain in his life. Joseph's brothers hated him because their father favored him and loved him more than any of his brothers (Genesis 37:4). Joseph then shared his dreams with his brothers that implied he would rule over them and they hated him all the more (Gen. 37:8). Because they were jealous of him, they plotted to kill him (Genesis 37:20). However, they changed their mind at the last minute because one of the brothers spoke up and so they decided to sell Joseph into slavery instead (Genesis 37:27).
After being sold into slavery, Joseph, as a young man, probably in his late teens (Genesis 37:2) ended up as a slave to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials (Genesis 39:1). As difficult circumstances as this must have been for him, Joseph did not resist or fight his circumstances, becoming bitter. Instead, he embraced where God placed him and put his whole heart into his labors, looking to be faithful to God. As a result, he was blessed by the Lord and prospered.
“The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.” (Genesis 39:2-5)
Psalm 37:32-33“The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the Lord will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land..."
However, being blessed by God or being faithful to God did not keep Joseph from difficulties. When Joseph refused to sin against God by sleeping with Potiphar's wife, she slandered him and had him thrown in prison (Genesis 39:8-20).
Even in prison, Joseph did not become bitter in his difficulties. Instead he again willingly embraced his circumstances and sought to be faithful to God. As a result, God prospered him in prison.
“But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:21-23).
Psalm 37:12-19
“The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The blameless spend their days under the Lord's care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.”
Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Cupbearer and Baker of the king of Egypt while he was in prison with them. Then he asked the Cupbearer, “But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon” (Genesis 40:14-15).
“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously... The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip” (Psalm 37:37:21,30-31)
The Cupbearer was restored to position as Joseph had told him but he failed to mention to the Pharaoh about Joseph until two years later. When the Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret, the Cupbearer remembered Joseph and he was let out of prison to interpret the dream (Genesis 41:9-14) .
I can't image what life was like for Joseph, being hated by his brothers so deeply, being sold into slavery, and then unjustly living out much of his young adult years in a dungeon. However, in all of this, Joseph did not become bitter. He remained faithful to God and embraced his circumstances. He hoped for better, but did what he could to be faithful wherever God placed him.
In Joseph's faithfulness to God despite his difficult circumstances, God blessed him and he became second to Pharoah. “So Pharaoh asked them, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one whom is the spirit of God? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you" (Genesis 42:38-40).
Jon Bloom writes about the story of Joseph's life in Genesis, “The common thread Joseph traced through all the stories, the one thing God seemed to honor and bless more than anything else, was faith. Abraham trusted God's word. Isaac trusted God's word. Rebekah trusted God's word. Jacob trusted God's word. All of them ultimately saw God's faithfulness to his promises, despite circumstances and their own failings. " 1
"Faith-fueled peace doused the anxious fire in Joseph's chest. 'I trust you, my God,' he whispered. 'Like my forefathers, I will wait for you. I have no idea what my being in an Egyptian prison has to do with your purposes. But I will keep honoring you here where you have placed me. Bring your word to pass as it seems best to you. I am yours. Use me!...” 2
David writes in Psalm 37:1-11,
“Do not fret because those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
“Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for this place
and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”
So often, we can think of prosperity as having to do with our circumstances. If we are given what we want and all things in our life align for our betterment, we think we are prospering. Looking at Joseph's circumstance in this light, it hardly seemed that he was prospering. However, the word David is using here is actually, shalom (Strongs #7965) which means peace, contentment, or peace in relationships. God gave Jacob peace toward his brothers, and all those who wrongfully treated him, in the midst of his suffering.
As Joseph trusted in the Lord and did good no matter his circumstances, he was given peace in the midst of turmoil all around him. And as he delighted himself in the Lord during his trials and difficulties, he was given the desires of his heart – a deeper relationship with God. His relationship with God had become so prevalent in Joseph's life while he was suffering in the dungeon that Pharaoh asked, 'Can we find anyone like this man, one whom is the spirit of God?” (Gen. 42:38)
As promised, God brought forth his 'righteousness as the light' and his judgment as the noonday.' (Psalm 37:6). Joseph “shined like the brightness of the sky above” (Dan. 12:3) as he freely gave his life away for others.
“Blessed are those who do my commands. I am the Bright and Morning Star. I will cause you to shine” is playing in the background.
Jon Bloom writes, “Sometimes faithfulness to God and his word sets us on a course where circumstances get worse, not better. It is then that knowing God's promises and his ways are crucial. Faith in God's future grace for us is what sustains us in those desperate moments.” 3
“I pray Lord break me, I pray Lord take me, I pray Lord make me all I've failed to be” sings in the background.
As Jon Bloom goes on to note, “We all love the fairytale ending of Joseph's story.” 4 However, a fairytale ending was not what Joseph was seeking after. He was seeking to be faithful to God. And many stories do not end in a fairytale. In the case of John the Baptist and many of the disciples, their lives ended in being put to death for their faith. One thing that all of them had in common is that none of them were living for what they have in this life. They were looking to things to come.
In the book of Hebrews, the Christians are encouraged to look to this hope to come in all their persecution. They were told, “Remember those earlier days after you received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, 'In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. And, 'But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:32-39).
“I'm committed to the finish until the setting of the sun. Lord I will be faithful in all I say and do. To live a love that never fails, to love my neighbor as my self, and to give till there is nothing left to give. To live a faith that never dies, to be crucified with Christ, until all that lives through me is a message” sings in the background.
Joseph, like his fathers who went before him had faith and hope in God. They did not put their hope in their circumstances being good, but rather God being good. Joseph knew God's love and had his eyes toward home:
“Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16).
In this place of love and assurance, he was free to love others as freely as he had been loved.
While Joseph had pain about his past, he did not hold a grudge. He forgave and looked for what God had for him out of all his suffering. His first child he named, “Manasseh” or 'forget' because God had made him forget all his trouble and his fathers household (Gen. 41:51). His second child he named “Ephraim, or 'twice fruitful' because he was fruitful in the land of his suffering (Gen. 41:52).
David says in Psalm 37:39-40, “But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.”
Joseph saw what God was doing in his suffering. And, he looked for how God would use him to give his life away for others. When he finally told his brothers who he was, he sobbed so loud that everyone heard him. Then he told his brothers, “do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:5-7).
Steven Covey, at some point, once said something to the effect: When you are bit by a snake, it is not the snake bite that is the most harmful, it is chasing after that sucker that drives the poison to your heart.
Paul says in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” When we respond to injury in bitterness, resentment, anger, disdain, contempt, and/or revenge, it will poison our hearts. It will cause us much greater harm that the original hurt.
David says in Psalm 37:11, “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” The main definition for meek, according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is "enduring injury with patience and without resentment." It is only when we endure injury with patience and without resentment that we will experience peace and prosperity.
As we hold onto resentments for past injuries, they poison our hearts more and more. Too often we our quick to blame the other person for our lack of peace due to the harm we feel they caused us. In reality, our lack of peace is caused by our own responses. We need to let go of them and not hold onto grudges. Our responses need to be that of forgiveness like Joseph.
As one article notes, "Holding resentments is choice. A choice to refuse to forgive; and unwillingness to let bygones be bygones.... We cling to a futile need to be right, which overrides the capacity to be at peace...." As the article notes, we need to acknowledge that we cannot control those who have harmed us and make a choice to forgive. 5
As another article notes, "Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you may always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn't minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life."
As this article notes, forgiveness makes the way for compassion. Once we forgive, we are free, like Joseph, to love and give in response to those who harmed us. Joseph freely gave his life away to others. Psalm 37:26 says about the righteous, “They are always generous and lend freely; their children are a blessing.”
When Joseph's father died, his brothers sent him a note saying, “'Your father left these instructions before he died: This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.' When their message came to him, Joseph wept.” (Genesis 50:16-17).
His brothers were not repenting because they felt bad for the tremendous pain and difficulty they caused their brother. They were repenting because they were afraid that Joseph might 'pay them back' and hold a grudge. They were afraid for what would happen to themselves and their families.
Joseph did not respond in any anger or resentment. Instead he said to them, “Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for 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” (Gen. 50:19-21).
Dallas Willard writes, “To welcome others, to make a place for them and provide for them, is one of the most life-giving and life-receiving things a human being can do. These are the basic, universal acts of love. Our lives were meant to be full of such acts, drawing on the abundance of God. Such love is possible because of what God is: love.” 6
As Dallas Willard notes, “Jesus gave a sure mark of the outcome of spiritual formation: we become people who love one another (see John 13:35). This love is not unspecified: 'Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another' (verse 34, NRSV, emphasis added). The 'love' in question here is identified as what we do in Christ, as he has done for us. This love makes us ready to 'lay down our lives for the brethren' (1 John 3:16).” 7
In Matthew 5:38-48 Jesus says, "You have heard it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard it said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
In his writing, Dallas Willard paints a picture of a meeting that discussion is governed by “self-giving, self-perpetuating love.” He says, “You and I would love each other with Christlike love, and together we would love the third person with us.” He adds about people encountering such an experience, 'Wouldn't everyone want to be a Christian? Wouldn't wounded people flock to our church?” 8
He notes, “Such love, however, involves an openhanded death: 'This is how we know what live is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers' (1 John 3:16, NIV, emphasis added). We will have to die to ourselves -to the desire to be first, to control, to be admired, to be sought after. For 'we are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall be revealed, then we will be revealed with him, glorious' (Colossians 3:3-4, PAR). But what could be better than being 'hid with Christ in God?' That's exactly where a person in union with God would want to be. As we die to ourselves, we come to participate in a resurrected sort of life (see Philippians 3:11). With such a Jesus-based way of life, we become one who nourishes and cherishes the person next to us.” 9
“Lord I give my life, a living sacrifice, to reach a world in need” sings in the background.
Lord, I deeply long to live a life of union with you that results in such an overflow of love that people who don't know Christ would desire to know Him. I long to follow more closely in your footsteps, even as it means pain and difficulty in my life. You embraced the cross as you carried it. Give me the strength and courage to embrace difficult circumstances and injuries rather than run from them or respond in bitterness and resentment. I long to be more faithful to You. Forgive me where I have been holding onto resentment and driving poison into my heart. Help me to be much more quick to forgive others and respond with compassion and love.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
“It's gonna be worth it all!!” sings in the background.
1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
2. 1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
3. 1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
4. 1. Bloom, Jon. Joseph: Staying Faithful When Things Just Get Worse. DesiringGod. March 2010 Newsletter.
5. Mark Sichel. 10 Steps to Letting Go of Resentment. Taken from Healing from Family Rifts. Available at: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/what-recovery/63491-10-steps-letting-go-resentment.html. Accessed 3/31/10
6. Mayo Clinic Staff. Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/forgiveness/mh00131 Accessed: 3/31/10
7. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
8. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
9. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
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