Embrace the Race: Persevering Through Challenging TimesPrimjer

Reframe Your Past

I can only imagine the intense emotion in the room as Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers. With great weeping, Joseph tells his brothers not to fear because "it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you."

How was it after 13 years of slavery and imprisonment that Joseph could view his suffering in such a positive way? Forgiveness is just the beginning of the journey to reconciliation and healing. Joseph discovered that to experience true freedom from the pain of his past, he needed to reframe his negative experience through the lens of God's bigger plan. 

Despite the difficulty of the journey, Joseph was able to look back at the betrayal and pain he experienced and see God's hand at work. In doing so, he was able to confidently say, "God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Daily Challenge:

How about you? Have you taken time to ask God to reveal how his hand has been at work in your past? Ask God to help bring healing to your heart and show you how he is using the negative experiences in your life to produce something good.