Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.Genesis 50:19-20 (NKJV)

It could have been very easy for Joseph to play the victim role for what was done to him.  He was thrown into an empty cistern and held captive until he was sold into slavery.  From there, he was wrongly accused of sexually attacking a woman, and then put in prison as a result of that false accusation.  If anyone could justify anger and a vindictive attitude, it would have been Joseph.   But God had a divine plan in all of this — every last detail would be used for the good of many people.  

Every one of us has a story of how we were wronged in our personal life. But there is a common denominator in each of them — God allowed every one of these things in our life, and even though they might not be good, He will use them for good as well (Rom. 8:28).   

And such was the case for Joseph, as God’s plan for honor prevailed, as Joseph was now the right hand man to pharaoh, and he was given great power.  Realizing what had ultimately happened to Joseph, his brothers threw themselves at his feet and offered themselves as slaves (see Gen. 50:18).

Joseph’s response is an unusual one by most people’s standards in this world, which in itself tells us a lot.  Most of us would relish the opportunity to punish or seek revenge on those who have caused extreme hurt or loss in our lives, because it is in our natural fleshly nature to do so.  We will often justify our vengeance as being fair justice, but this is not true according to God’s Word. 

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 (NKJV)

So, how should knowing these biblical truths affect how we view any future attacks, afflictions, or tough times? 

As Christians we need not fear.  We can have the same that assurance Joseph derived from his afflictions; knowing whatever comes against us with intention of harming us will either stopped by God, or He will use it for good in our lives and the lives of others.  We need to trust our Heavenly Father and His perfect plans for our life!  This includes listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and reading God’s Word daily.