“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” —Genesis 50:20
Do you sometimes have trouble seeing the purpose behind hard circumstances?
Imagine the fear and confusion that Joseph in the Old Testament must have felt when his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. He was just a kid! How could he possibly understand that a good, wise, unseen God was writing his story? How could Joseph know that these tragic events were carefully scripted scenes in the drama of redemption?
Yet at the end of his life, he was able to tell his brothers, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” Amazing!
Maybe you’re struggling to see beyond your present pain and disappointment. Well, take heart! The hardest parts of your story are not random or meaningless. They are full of purpose—God’s purpose! And He will always be with you, just as He was with Joseph. God will be sending His Word to test, change, hone, and refine you, until His promises are one day fulfilled. That’s a God you can always trust.
Make it Personal
As you look back, how did God take your hard circumstances and use them for good? How does that give you hope today?