THE POWER OF REVELATION 5
After being sold into slavery by his brothers, being sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit and abandoned in jail by the butler he helped, Joseph had enough reasons to be bitter. Despite the urge of sweet revenge, he was able to guard his heart against resentment. How? He knew everything that happened to him-the good and bad served as a tool in making his glorious destiny a reality. God had showed him a glimpse of his great future. He had revealed to him that Joseph would be a man of great power and influence. He also knew that God was undoubtedly committed to making all things work together for his destiny. What was that destiny? To preserve the lives of the Israelites, the nation that would give birth to Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Joseph knew that when his brothers sold him into slavery, God was working. He knew that when Portiphar’s wife accused him of attempted rape and he was imprisoned, God was working. He knew that when the butler left him to rot in jail, God was working. The revelation of God’s plan for him gave him hope. It enabled him to see beyond the present pain to the future joy. It enabled him to see all the pain he had gone through in the light of the Master’s purpose for him.
When we discover God’s beautiful plan for us, we know that all things work together for good and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose. Bitterness has no place in our lives as long as we know this.
Read more articles by Jimi Akingbade or search for articles on the same topic or others.