Living With Forgiveness

How many of you remember the life of Joseph?

The ups and downs.

The highs and lows.

The love and hatred.

Joseph was a man of character.

Joseph had a strong faith.

One thing has been confirmed and reaffirmed in my heart and mind, and that is the truth that God is behind every event that occurs in our lives. There are no accidents. There is no such thing as coincidence. There is only providence and the outworking of the perfect will of God. This is the clear teaching of Scripture, Isa. 46:9–11 ; Eph. 1:11 ; Psa. 135:6 .

Isaiah 46:9–11 KJV 1900

9 Remember the former things of old: For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times the things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, The man that executeth my counsel from a far country: Yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

Ephesians 1:11 (KJV 1900)

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Psalm 135:6 (KJV 1900)

6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased, That did he in heaven, and in earth, In the seas, and all deep places.

Joseph Kept on Keeping On.

Genesis 50:14 KJV 1900

14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

After the death of Jacob, the brothers of Joseph as worried. They remember all the terrible things they did to Joseph years ago. They remember how they hated him. They remember how they sold him as a slave. They remembered how they covered up his disappearance with the lie that he was dead. They remember these things and many others and they are afraid. They are sure that now that their father is dead, Joseph will seek revenge against them.

So, they come up with a plan. They sent someone to Joseph with a message. They want him to believe that Jacob left word for him to forgive his brothers before he died. When Joseph hears their words, he weeps.

Genesis 50:15–18 KJV 1900

15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. 18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

Joseph Kept Forgiving

Genesis 50:19 KJV 1900

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

It was never in Joseph’s heart to hold their past over their heads. He had forgiven them for their transgression a long time ago. As Joseph nears the end of his life, he can look back with a clear conscience. We have no record that he harmed no one, and we have no record that he holds a grudge against any one. In fact, he reminds his brothers that he is not in the place of God. In other words, they need not fear Joseph with what they have done wrong; they will eventually face a higher court and an infallible judge! That is a good way to die!

• As we pass through life, there will be times when we are hurt by the words and actions of others. It is inevitable, Luke 17:1. We will be hurt and sometimes, we will be hurt deeply. We cannot help what others do to us, but we can help what we do with the hurts of others.

When the hurtful words and harsh deeds of others break our hearts, we really only have two courses of action. We can be angry, hold a grudge and seek revenge. Or, we can forgive them and leave the matter in the hands of God. Here is the scriptural mandate given to us by the Lord, Matt. 18:21–35; Luke 17:1–5; Eph. 4:32 ; Rom. 12:17–21 .

Ephesians 4:32 KJV 1900

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Romans 12:17–21 KJV 1900

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

It is God’s Place to Judge

Genesis 50:20 (KJV 1900)

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Joseph does not pretend that what his brothers did to him was not evil. It most certainly was. He knew the intent of their heart. After all, he was there when they betrayed him and sold him as a slave. But, Joseph saw deeper than their intentions. In spite of what they were doing, God was doing something far more wonderful. Yes, they sinned against Joseph, but God even used their sin to accomplish His eternal plan.

In one verse Joseph looks back on thirty years of trial and triumph and acknowledges God’s hand in every detail of his life. Joseph knows that the hatred and betrayal, the slavery and the imprisonment, and the loneliness and separation, were all part of a much bigger plan.

God used the valleys and the victories of Joseph’s life to reach Joseph’s brothers; to encourage Jacob; to bring the children of Israel to Egypt; and to literally save the world. Surely, God did mean it for good!

It goes without saying that God will probably not use the events of our lives to accomplish such amazing things in our own lives. It is not likely that He will use the trials and tragedies we face to save nations and accomplish His redemptive plan. However, we can be sure of one thing. As we pass through this life, we can count on the fact that every valley and every victory is a part of His perfect plan for us and that He will use them all for our good and for His glory! That is His promise, Rom. 8:28 ; James 1:3; 1 Peter 1:7–8.

Romans 8:28 KJV 1900

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

When we pass through the hard places of life, it is easy to forget that God is in control. The next time life pulls the rug out from under you, remember that God is always with to catch you, Heb. 13:5 ; Matt. 28:20.

Hebrews 13:5 KJV 1900

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Matthew 28:20 KJV 1900

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Remember that He invites you to come to Him for comfort and consolation, Matt. 11:28; Phil. 4:6–7; 1 Pet. 5:7; Heb. 4:15–16. Remember, no matter what takes place in life, God Meant It For Good!

God Overrules Man’s Evil and Uses it for Good.

Genesis 50:21 (KJV 1900)

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Joseph Repays Evil with Good.

• One day, we will all leave this world. Are you prepared to leave it with a clean conscience toward others? Here is what you need to do:

⮚ If you offending party you need to go to them and ask for forgiveness. Until you do, your relationship with God will never be what it could be. (Ill. Matt. 5:23–24)

Matthew 5:23–24 KJV 1900

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

⮚ If you are the offended party, you need to take the matter before the Lord and strive to reach a place of forgiveness. You will never be happy in the Lord; your joy will never be full; and you will never be of use to Him until you have forgiven those who have wronged you. It may be that you will have to confront the person about their sin, Luke 17:3 .

Luke 17:3 KJV 1900

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

(Ill. Joseph did not sugar coat what his brothers had done to him.) It may be that, with the help of God, you can simply forgive them. Either way, you need to deal with the issue before it drains the spiritual life out of you, Heb. 12:15 .

Hebrews 12:15 KJV 1900

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Joseph Kept Being Faithful

Genesis 50:22 (KJV 1900)

22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

God will probably not use the events of our lives to accomplish such amazing things in our own lives. It is not likely that He will use the trials and tragedies we face to save nations and accomplish His redemptive plan. However, we can be sure of one thing. As we pass through this life, we can count on the fact that every valley and every victory is a part of His perfect plan for us and that He will use them all for our good and for His glory!

Joseph Kept Being Fruitful

Genesis 50:23 (KJV 1900)

23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees.

Joseph Kept the Future in Focus

Genesis 50:24–26 KJV 1900

24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. 26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Joseph dies believing that God will visit His people one day and take them to a better land.

Joseph left this world clinging to the great promises of a mighty God. He left here right with God and man. He left here with full assurance that God had led him every step of the way. He left here knowing that death was not the end, but that there was a better future down the road.

When your time to leave here comes, and it will, how will you leave?