One of the hardest things we have to work through is that bad things happen to good people. When this happens our view of God is critical to our answer and each of us will have to decide what place the Bible should have in this process of evaluation. Genesis 50:20 is a passage where Joseph (cf. the historical account of his life in Genesis 37-50) shares with his brothers that he knows that they meant evil when they sold him into slavery, but God meant if for good. God has plans for our lives, and while we may not understand His plans, it is our responsibility to trust Him in them. We must recognize that pain and suffering are an inescapable part of this life, and deal with them accordingly. In doing so The Bible identifies some things we can do. 1. remember God’s Word encourages us to be prepared for suffering because trials are inevitable (James 1:1-5) 2. Understand that there is not always a direct link between suffering and individual sin (book of Job) 3. Let suffering deepen our walk with God (Matthew 11:28-30) 4. Remember God promises that He will not give us more than we … READ MORE

Our past is a silent companion that accompanies us wherever we go. Yet the Bible gives us several was our past can be among our best friends. 1. When we need strength and confidence we can remember how God has worked in our lives in the past remembering “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever” Hebrews 13:8 2. When we need encouragement and balance we can look back in our lives and be reminded of God’s providential direction in our circumstances. (Jeremiah 33:3) 3. When we need the ability to forgive, we can remember how much we have been forgiven by God, and take our struggle to the cross of Christ (Matthew 6:12, 14-15). 4. When we are struggling with pride, we can be reminded that we have nothing apart from the grace of God. (1 Corinthians 15:10) 5. When it is time to repent, we am reminded that all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and that I am no better than any other person (1 Timothy 1:15). Remember, that our past actions do not define us today, and by God’s grace we can learn from them and be better tomorrow.… READ MORE

As we learn to apply Philippians 3:13 to our lives, and “forget those things which are in the past” we need to understand that our past can potentially hinder our growth in Christ in at least if we allow it. We need to understand the Word of God and seek direction from it to overcome the struggles of life. I am often reminded of Joseph and the struggles that he faced in Genesis 37-50. In all these things, he places his faith in God and recognizes that God will use those things not only for his benefit, but also for the benefit of others. We read his evaluation of those events in his life in Genesis 50:20 as he tells his brothers, “I know that you meant evil against me, in what you did, when you sold me into slavery, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (paraphrased by me). Joseph was able to understand that God’s plan for his life was bigger than his hopes for his present circumstances. When God was ready for Joseph to be used in a mighty way, He put … READ MORE