Broken for Blessing

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
—Genesis 50:20

The life of Joseph is easy to read about, but hard to understand. Here was a godly guy, one who did what he was supposed to do. When he notices corruption, he tells about it. When temptation comes, he flees. However, even when he does what is right, he apparently gets punished.

For example, Joseph tells his Dad, Jacob, about his brothers doing some stuff wrong, and his brothers hold it against him (Gen. 37:2). And when he tells his brothers and parents about a couple of dreams he has, it earns him a rebuke from his Dad, and sends his brother’s off the deep end in their hate for him (Gen. 37:8, 11). Their hate comes to a point and overflows when Joseph shows up to check on them performing their shepherding duties. They throw him in a pit while contemplating killing him. Cooler heads prevail however, and he is not killed, but sold into slavery to a group of Midianites passing by. From there he is sold into slavery in Egypt where he is purchased by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. He does his job and he is promoted to second in charge of the house, under Potiphar himself. But, Potiphar’s wife has the hots for him and attempts to entice him to have sex with her. He refuses time and time again to the point of angering her, which brought about her framing him for a crime that he didn’t even commit! He had fled from temptation and injustice prevails.

After the Potiphar debacle, he is sent to prison where he works his way up to be the second in command. He meets two of Pharaoh’s servants who are serving time and ends up interpreting a dream for both of them. One dream ends up favorably while the other ends in tragedy. Yet, he is forgotten again and ends up rotting in prison until Pharaoh has a dream that no one in all of Egypt can interpret except none other than Joseph. He interprets the dream and ends up second in charge of all of Egypt. He ends up being a vehicle of blessing for thousands upon thousands during a massive famine in the land and saving them from starvation and death.

What strikes me about Joseph is the years between brokenness and blessing. What did he think when all of this was going on? He was misunderstood, misaligned, and broken, yet he kept on. How much more can we? I cannot understand what he went through, but I know what it is like to feel like God is not there, which I am sure that Joseph did as he was anguishing in prison. I don’t know what it’s like to have my family betray me, my boss’ wife accuse and frame me, or those whom I have helped forget about me, but I do know what it is like to feel like I have done everything right and God doesn’t care. I have felt like that and maybe you have too.

Even in the midst of all of this, Joseph had faith in God. I am not sure he understood the purpose of God while he was going through everything, but after it was all over and he was out of prison, in charge of Egypt and able to help his family, did all of the pieces seem to come together. God was not punishing Joseph for anything he did or didn’t do. God had a purpose for Joseph that he didn’t know anything about. He was preparing Joseph for something greater than he could imagine. And that is what is found in our verse for today. His brothers were forced to go to Egypt to get food. They were on the verge of starvation and death. They had mouths to feed, wives they loved, and children they cared for deeply. What else would make them have to go to Egypt to get food? It was because of their love for their families.

Arriving there, they interact with Joseph, not knowing it was him, until after a rather difficult period of time. But, upon learning the identity of their provider, they are astonished, then fearful. The man who has been supplying them with food is none other than their brother that they had sold into slavery! I can’t imagine the fear they felt within them. This man, their brother, controlled their lives and the lives of all they loved. What would Joseph do? How would he respond? Joseph’s answer is telling,  

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today”—Genesis 50:20.

Joseph saw that it was God that was the one working behind the scenes. Everything he went through, he went through for God’s purpose. Whatever Satan or the world may throw at us, God is going to use it. He is going to do something with it for His glory. He is going to use it as a means of blessing for countless individuals. Whether it is to encourage, inspire, rebuke, or warn, God will use it. We can take comfort in the fact that though we may suffer when we do right, God sees and knows. He is there and He will vindicate us in the end by using our story as a bridge for others. Then they too can move from brokenness to blessing, all for the glory of God. Amen.