Speaker 1: 0:02

Hello and welcome to Walk the Walk. Well, today is day one of our journey to forgiveness. This is probably one of the most challenging things that we all face is truly forgiving somebody who has hurt us. So today we're going to find forgiveness, like Joseph. I welcome you here today and we're going to talk about Joseph's story, a story of betrayal, resilience and, ultimately, forgiveness, in under 10 minutes. So let's explore how his story can guide us when it hurts too much to forgive. Now, joseph's story starts in Genesis, chapter 37. If you have not read that story, please do so. It's very important, I think, to kind of help guide us through this journey we're on Now.

Speaker 1: 0:58

Joseph was his father's favorite son and his brothers were jealous. I can't blame them. Maybe you've experienced the same thing, where you just weren't the favorite child and you feel that resentment towards your father, your mother or your siblings. One day they threw him into a pit and sold him as a slave to traders heading for Egypt. Now imagine how deeply wounded he felt. I mean, he was thrown into a cistern even though there was no water in it. It was dark and dirty, and that's what they did with him. And then they took his coat that the father had given him, took it to the dad and said look, we have evidence. They threw blood on it and said he was killed. They threw blood on it and said he was killed and his poor father grieved for him. He was betrayed by the very people that he loved and trusted, and maybe that's your story You've been betrayed by people that you loved and trusted.

Speaker 1: 2:08

Now Joseph was sold into slavery, but his life did not get any easier because eventually he was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and thrown into prison. She yelled rape, which he didn't do. They didn't believe him. And off to another pit he went. Believe him, and off to another pit he went. But eventually he was released because of a gift that God had given him to interpret dreams. And then he became the right-hand man of the Pharaoh. He had so much power at this time that eventually a famine had hit and he had food stored because he had the knowledge to know that this famine was coming. So eventually his brothers came to him, not knowing they were coming to their brother to ask for food.

Speaker 1: 2:59

Now, if I were Joseph and the people that came who hurt me were asking me for a favor or food, you can bet my first response would have been yeah, whatever out of here. But he didn't. I'm probably sure it was painful, painful to see the very people he trusted and loved who betrayed him. But he gave them what they needed and eventually welcomed them all back or welcomed them into Egypt to live. He took care of them, even though my bitterness would not have allowed me to do that.

Speaker 1: 3:48

He didn't let his bitterness take over, even when he had every reason to be angry and resentful and bitter and hateful and mean. He trusted that God had a purpose and God has a purpose for you and me as well. We ask why, tina, you don't know what I've been through. You don't know what these people have done to me. I, you're right, I don't know. I don't know your story. God does and he has a purpose for you. Yep, we get drug through the mud, we get thrown into the pit, but God has a purpose for us.

Speaker 1: 4:28

Joseph had every reason and we would have all said we get it. You should have treated them like that, but he didn't. Let's just be honest.

Speaker 1: 4:41

Forgiveness is hard. It's a struggle. It feels unfair, especially when the hurt is deep and we think you know what. I'm going to protect myself, I'm going to protect my heart with anger and bitterness. All that does is cause you more anger, more bitterness, maybe physical ailments, maybe mental illnesses all of this because of what somebody else has done. Don't hold on to it. It's not protecting you, it's harming you. It it's not protecting you, it's harming you.

Speaker 1: 5:16

In Genesis 50, 20, joseph tells his brothers you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. Joseph didn't pretend that it was all okay and let's do kumbaya and yay, everybody come back together. It was okay what you did to me. He didn't ignore that betrayal. He acknowledged the pain. The very thing that you need and I need to do is to acknowledge our pain, but also know that God has a bigger purpose for us. You know we probably are struggling right now, as you are listening to this and read through today's assignment, to say I need to name the person. That may just be an accomplishment in itself is to name that person, because you probably have sworn I will never mention your name again, I will never think of you again, but you're still bitter and you're still angry. So that may be. Your challenge today is to name the person that has caused you this pain.

Speaker 1: 6:26

Forgiveness isn't saying, oh, what you've done is okay, it's just choosing to let go of the anger and bitterness, even when it feels impossible. It's about trusting God with our pain and believing he can use our deepest wounds for something good. So I want to ask you this today who do you need to forgive? Maybe they'll never, ever, ever, say they're sorry. Maybe there's no way that they could because they have already passed away. Or maybe it's just somebody who says I didn't do anything wrong, they deserved it.

Speaker 1: 7:12

Forgiveness isn't for them, that in mind, it's for you. And how God frees your heart to heal. Wouldn't that feel? Awesome is to have a heart full of love and no bitterness, to have a heart that says I love you and I've put you into God's hands. You are no longer living in my mind and in my heart rent-free. I'm done with you. I forgive you. I'm on the path to loving again.

Speaker 1: 7:54

Let's pray, father. I admit forgiving is very hard for me. My heart wants to hold on to the hurt. Please give me the strength to let go of the bitterness and trust you to heal this pain. Use my story, just like you did with Joseph, for your good purposes. Free me, father. Free you for listening, and remember do these steps. It may be challenging and you may not be able to do it today, and you may not be able to do it tomorrow, but at some point do it, just to bring that person to the forefront of your mind, because eventually you're going to forgive them and you're going to move on. Forgiveness isn't easy, but it's so worth it. So join me tomorrow for another powerful story of forgiveness from the Bible. And until then, may God's peace be with you.