God . . . Used it for Good

Genesis 50:20  “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” 

Dave Stone told a story about a soldier during the Vietnam War who got a letter from his girlfriend saying that she was breaking up with him.   To make a painful situation worse, she asked, “Will you please return my favorite picture of myself --- I need to use it for my engagement picture in the local newspaper.”

The poor guy was crushed, but his fellow soldiers had his back. They collected pictures of all their fellow soldiers they knew. They filled up an entire shoebox with the pictures along with a note saying, “Please find your picture and return the rest. For the life of me I can’t remember which one you are!”

What a comeback!  Have you ever wished you could deliver a comeback like that to someone who hurt you?  All of us have been hurt from time to time.  However, we have a choice on how to respond.  It is that Hurt+Holding=Harm and the only cure for bitterness is forgiveness.  We can forgive others when we release the right to get even and look for the ways that God can use the situation for good.

Is there someone who hurt you in the past?  Will you forgive them?  How has God forgiven you?  Can you show the same grace to someone else?

Take a few moments to read and reflect on the life of Joseph in Genesis 50 and see how God used a series of terrible situations for Good in his life.  I pray that he does the same in our lives today.

God Bless,

Mike