BACKGROUND: The Story of Joseph
Joseph was wrongfully put in prison, had a strong work ethic in prison, utilized his gifts while in prison, which led to him being called on to use his gifts to help Pharaoh. This led to him becoming 2nd in command to Pharaoh (governor) for the whole country of Egypt, which was a country that was highly regarded in the world at that time.

Nonetheless, in the midst of Joseph's elevation and newfound identification, God didn't allow Joseph to completely stay "hidden" in his Egyptian-ness. Eventually, Joseph was going to HAVE to actually confront and make peace with his past. God will cover you and sustain you and provide a place of refuge, but it's never meant to be a hiding place forever. God is not in the business of solely providing "witness protection" programs. He's too strong and too mighty to let you cower in the face of anything. This made me stop right in my tracks.
Don't Make A Temporary Place Permanent
You see, right now, in the midst of my "imprisonment", I'm just... enjoying life and enjoying where God has me. I really am. God has been so good to me. I'm literally, in "hiding", amongst people who are Egyptian, when I'm, in fact, Hebrew and not part of their culture. But if I'm not careful, I can grow so content in prison that I prematurely give up on what was meant to actually thrust me forward to a greater location for Christ. I don't belong in this prison, and this is not my home.
You see, when you know who you are and the calling on your life, yet you find yourself in a place that's unfamiliar, you have to realize it's a temporary residence. You're not meant to get comfortable, stay in hiding, and never leave. Ultimately, whatever you're going through and where God takes you is for a greater purpose and progression, and your temporary residence is meant to be a place of edification and building for the next level. You can't allow yourself to get too comfortable in a place that was only ordained for a temporary season, to be a setup for your comeback. Be content in where God has you (without being comfortable) while going forward to fulfill His calling on your life.

You may not see it or understand it now, but there is something God is trying to teach you as you are going through whatever you're going through. There's more to your situation than JUST YOU. God is very intentional. If you know that God has directly and intentionally wrongfully placed you in "prison", you HAVE to understand that the purpose for it far exceeds just YOU and your needs. Your season that you're in now, ultimately, could be for the purpose of saving a generation or a group of people who are just like you. Don't allow yourself to get so comfortable in your "new life" that you forget your actual purpose. Trust the test.
Making Peace With Your Painful Past (See Genesis 42-46)
So, to make a long story short, the world is in the midst of a famine, and Joseph's brothers/past persecutors find themselves in Egypt seeking food. Joseph agrees to help them, but only if all 11 of his brothers come to Egypt, because his brother, Benjamin, had not traveled with them. Once the brothers all come to Egypt, Joseph helps them, gives them a feast, and loads them up with food and money, only to have pretty much set them up. In Benjamin's bag, was a "stolen item" that was placed in his bag purposely. Joseph pretty much set them all up to have to come back to Egypt and pretty much beg for mercy at Joseph's feet, so that they end up mentioning the wrong they had done to Joseph, whom they presumed to be dead. Read the story yourself lol.
The Bible says, in Genesis 45:1, "Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that
stood by him; and he cried.... while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren." Joseph tried to walk in his new found position as governor, rejecting his humble beginnings as a Hebrew. That's something so many of us do.... We've been hurt by certain people, so when we get a sense of power, we try to hide in these new false identities, and we use it to get back at those who hurt us. That's a terrible way to lead BTW. He tried to spitefully pull rank to pay his brothers back for the wrong they did to him, but that wasn't like him. His convictions wouldn't allow himself to do that. He caved in, cried, and confessed. A few verses later, he beckons his brothers to come near. Don't allow what feels right in the flesh (bitterness, harbored hatred, etc.) to stop you from doing what you know is right in the Spirit. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus says, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;". If Christ resides within you, you should feel a conviction to do what Jesus says; don't fight it. I can completely sympathize with not wanting to love your enemies. Being hurt HURTS. Forgiveness and healing after being so viciously and carelessly hurt is HARD, but Jesus commands us, so we have to trust that he knows best, because he does. Forgiveness and healing isn't for your enemies; it's for you. Don't allow anyone to have that much control over you that bitterness takes root and limits your spiritual progress and relationship with God.
Joseph had every reason to lash out his brothers; from a human viewpoint, they ruined his life. Stripped him from his childhood, betrayed him, plotted to kill him, yet sold him into a life of slavery, when the favor he had on his life would've never required enslavement. His life as a slave ultimately led to his imprisonment. So did he have a reason to be mad? YES. BUT, if it wasn't for all of these events, he would have never been in the position to provide a need for Pharaoh and be elevated to 2nd in command of the whole country, save the country and world from destruction, and preserve the people of God.
We give our enemies and persecutors too much credit. Realize that whatever has happened to you was orchestrated or allowed by God. Your time of struggle or false persecution is temporary. God works all things together for our good, so rest in that. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! Eventually, you'll look back and see that if it wasn't for the bad times, you would've never been in the position to be elevated. Trust the process; God IS aware and fully in control, even if it doesn't seem like it.


Making Peace With My Past,
Dear God, It's so easy to become mistake contentment for complacency. Help us to be so content and restful in the control You have over our lives, without becoming so complacent that we'd rather stay stagnant than allow you to move us to the heights that we need to move to for You. Help us to disallow our past to stunt our growth. Remove us from the bondage of people, painful pasts, wrongful persecution, guilt, shame, or anything else that will hinder us from resting and walking in Your will for our lives. There are people who need to see what You've done for us in order to be saved, from both physical and spiritual perspectives. Help us not to be so selfish and self-absorbed on what's happened to us that we miss out on the opportunity to reach down to pull someone who needs help up to where You've brought us. Guide us, O God. Strengthen us. Remove the stumbling blocks. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Kierra Sheard- Praise Him Now
Jessica Love ft. Todd Dulaney- I Draw Near
Karen Clark Sheard- My God Is Big
Kirk Franklin- Wanna Be Happy?
Kevin LeVar- A Heart That Forgives
Kevin LeVar- Your Destiny
Jessica Reedy- Where He Leads Me
Travis Greene- Intentional
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