Genesis 50:19-20 “ And Joseph said unto them, ‘Fear not: for am I in the place of God? And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.’”

Wow! That’s the first word that comes to mind. Joseph saw through the pain of rejection and deception from his brothers to the ultimate purpose of God in his life. He saw, perhaps second hand, that God put him where he was to save his family, even though those brothers who had done him so wrong.

Can you do that? Can I do that? Can we accept wrongs done to us as God’s purpose for our life? Can we see through the pain and perhaps tears? Can we allow God to have His perfect will in our lives, even if it means pain and suffering?

It seems these past few devotionals have focused on family hurts. Your children are going to have those throughout life. They need to learn now how to manage those feelings when someone close hurts them. What a perfect story. Just like Joseph, they can forgive their sister or brother, mother or father, husband or wife, when they intentionally or unintentionally hurt them. But there is a secret to it.

Without Christ we can’t. There is NO WAY!!! We will get bitter and vengeful. We will seek how to “repay” those who have hurt us or our loved ones. Our flesh is just that way. Outside of Christ, we are evil.

But….in Christ we can do all things. We can love the most hateful person. That doesn’t mean we have to love their behaviors. Heaven no! But we must love them. Remember – Christ washed the feet of Judas just before he betrayed Him. Whose feet can you wash today?