“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
When we read the story of Joseph, we know how it turns out. We know about the palace, the authority, and the reconciliation with his brothers. But Joseph didn’t have that perspective while he was living it out.
All Joseph could see was betrayal, false accusations, and long seasons of waiting. Nothing about his circumstances felt like preparation for God’s purposes. Scripture tells us that while Joseph was in chains, the word of the Lord was testing him—shaping him long before God elevated him.
What makes Joseph’s story so powerful isn’t just where he ended up, but who he became. Years later, when Joseph stood face to face with the brothers who had hurt him, the clearest evidence of God’s work wasn’t his position—it was his forgiveness. Forgiveness revealed that suffering hadn’t hardened his heart.
That’s the part of Joseph’s story that challenges me the most. As a pastor, I’ve learned that loving people also means being hurt by people. This is true for everyone. There are moments when people misunderstand you, criticize you, or even walk away from you—and forgiveness becomes deeply personal. This path to forgiveness isn’t easy. Oftentimes it’s a struggle, and it becomes a process of forgiving and then forgiving again every time pain resurfaces.
Joseph reminds us, however, that forgiveness is often the final step of formation. God may use suffering to shape us, but forgiveness determines whether that suffering is going to make us better or bitter. Without forgiveness, pain traps us. But with forgiveness, pain becomes a place where God forms humility, compassion, trust in Him, and—ultimately—healing.
Paul reminds us in Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Notice Paul doesn’t say that all things are good. He says God works through all things. Even betrayal. Even disappointment. Even seasons that don’t make sense.
Joseph’s story reminds us that God is always doing more than we can see. Even in seasons of pain, misunderstanding, and waiting, God is still at work: shaping our hearts and preparing us for what lies ahead. And when we choose forgiveness, we step into the freedom God desires for us, trusting that the same God who redeemed Joseph’s suffering is faithful to redeem ours as well.
Lord, You see the places in our hearts that still hurt and the things we struggle to release. Give us grace to trust You with our pain, and courage to forgive as You have forgiven us. -Amen
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