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Trusting and Forgiving

Words of Faith Final

Trusting and Forgiving
Words of Faith 8-3-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 45:1-8
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. [2] And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.
[3] Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
[4] Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! [5] And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. [6] For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. [7] But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
[8] "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler of all Egypt.

Joseph could no longer restrain the powerful emotions within him. Strangely, they were not emotions of hate or malice toward the brothers who had abused and betrayed him. He wept deeply before them and then revealed his true identity. Of course, the brothers were terrified! The one they had abused and betrayed was now the second most powerful man in the world's most powerful dynasty!
There are two critical themes here, and they go together: sovereignty and reconciliation-- trusting and forgiving.
Joseph was long past worrying about getting even with his brothers if he ever did so. He clearly understood that everything that had occurred in his life was a part of God's plan, even the bad stuff!
Joseph makes some profound statements in this chapter. "It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." "It was not you who sent me here, but God." Joseph understood clearly this truth-- God is God. He is in charge. There is nothing that escapes His attention. There is no detail that is not carefully woven into His plan.
Out of that declaration flows a remarkable moment of forgiveness and reconciliation. "Do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here." Joseph had not only gotten past whatever anger or hate he might have had, but he was also deeply concerned that the brothers not torture themselves over this! Did the brothers sin? Of course, they did! Did they need to confess this? Of course, they did! But Joseph indicated a true spirit of forgiveness. He was willing to bear the pain of their offense, knowing that God always has a larger plan.
Joseph recognized the hand of God in all that had transpired and chose to willingly bear the pain of his brothers' offense. That is true forgiveness-- choosing to willingly bear the pain of another person's offense. (That is what Jesus did for us on the cross.) Joseph did not wait until they asked for forgiveness or confessed their sin. He extended forgiveness.
Reconciliation begins when we extend forgiveness. Extending forgiveness is based on trusting the sovereign God. We must trust that God is in charge and has a sovereign plan. That plan may include pain. That plan may include people who sin and betray us. God is still in charge. We may not immediately see this plan, but it is unfolding.
Is there something you need to surrender to God? Is there an injustice or hurt that you have been unable to forgive? Have you been unable to trust that God is in charge? Forgiveness starts when we realize that God is in charge. He will bring about justice. He has a plan.
Forgiveness is also rooted in the knowledge that the Lord has forgiven us. We owed a great debt that He has forgiven. The pain of our sin was willingly carried by Jesus. This enables us to willingly bear the pain of another person's offense.

Father God, I trust You. You are in charge of my life. I trust Your sovereign plan. Bring reconciliation into my life. Give me the grace I need to forgive as I have been forgiven. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.