Letting Go - Joseph

Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

Genesis 50:19-20

It probably shouldn’t surprise anyone, but the consensus among psychological experts is that emotional maturity is a key to living a healthy, happy, productive life. This includes handling emotions in a healthy way when life throws a curveball.

Unfortunately, we naturally tend to hang on to negative emotions such as anger, bitterness, fear, resentment, and anxiety. We may say that we don’t feel those things when life doesn’t go as we think it should, but deep inside, we churn with every negative feeling imaginable.

Joseph didn’t seem to have that problem. Scripture portrays him as a man of amazing kindness, forgiveness, courage, and faith. He had plenty of opportunity to demonstrate these qualities throughout his difficult life.

Even after his brothers sold him into Egyptian slavery, Joseph thrived in every situation because God oversaw everything that happened to him. God used Joseph’s circumstances for his own purposes, for Joseph’s good, and for the benefit of others.

Joseph’s story contains an important lesson that Paul neatly summarized in his letter to first-century Roman believers: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28).

Are you holding on to negative emotions? Are you bound by an unfair past? When you understand that God can use everything that happens to you for his purposes, those things will begin to lose their grip on you.

Just ask Joseph!

It’s far easier to let go of negative emotions when you remember that God uses everything that happens to you to accomplish his purposes. You don’t always know when and how he will do this, but that he will do so is a biblical promise.