READ: GENESIS 37:17-28; 50:15-21; PSALM 23:4-6

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. They sold him! I have younger siblings. And I admit there have been times I’ve thought this sounded like a good idea. But these guys actually did it! Can you imagine the betrayal Joseph must have felt? The outrage? The terror? Overnight, Joseph became a slave.

Sometimes our lives take a turn for the worse too—disappointments, illnesses, tragedies, or any number of other unwelcome surprises. In those moments, we often forget God is still with us, and He is still sovereign. When that happens, we can be well served to look at Joseph’s life.

Joseph’s next thirteen years were an amazing story of hard knocks, unfair treatment, and prison. Yet, “the LORD was with him and…gave him success in everything he did” (Genesis 39:3). Eventually, God raised Joseph to a place of power and worked through him to save countless lives from famine, including his own family. Yet his brothers were still terrified Joseph would exact his revenge. But look how Joseph responded to them—with forgiveness: “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:19-20).

Joseph understood God had a plan all along. From our historical vantage point, we can also see God was doing much more than just saving Joseph’s family. He was preserving the line through which He would one day redeem the world—the line that would lead to the birth of Jesus. Jesus faced hard knocks and unfair treatment—even death on a cross—because He loves us and wants to forgive us. And when Jesus was raised again, He accomplished the saving of many lives!

When we end up in one of life’s dark valleys, we can remember Joseph, and how his story points to Jesus. We can trust God is so good, and He loves us so much, that He promises to work through even the worst of situations for the good of His people—and to be with us every step of the way (Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:28, 38-39). • Michelle Isenhoff

• Can you think of any examples, in your own life or in the lives of others, when God worked through a bad situation and brought good? Whenever we suffer, God has so much compassion on us. He can truly empathize with us because Jesus stepped into our suffering with us, and even now He grieves our hurts alongside us. How could it be comforting to know that God grieves suffering, and He also promises to bring something good out of it?

[Joseph said to his brothers,] “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 (NIV)