Moving On, Becoming Stronger

Genesis 50:19-21 ESV
“But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?  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.  So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

Joseph’s brothers were not justified in their actions against Joseph as a boy, but Joseph was willing to forgive and move on past their hideous behavior. God used the situation to make Joseph stronger and we might as well say a better man and a wise leader. Joseph went through incredible odds to become a ruler in a foreign land, only God can do that.

Some of us have endured extreme situations in our lifetime, we have a choice; to be bitter or be better. We can choose to hold grudges or we can see what God can do through these situations. We can choose to be angry or choose to forgive and move on, which is basically moving beyond the offenses in order to rise above the circumstances.

I know the human mind remembers, Joseph still remembered, but he chose not to bring up the past except to show forgiveness.

Prayer:
Father, I choose to move on, not live in the past, not relive painful memories but use them to springboard into what you have for me. Make me a better man, a better servant of God, a better minister of the gospel, through what has happened in the past.