God demonstrates His love during adversities

‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them. Genesis 50:17-21

All throughout Scriptures, there are numerous examples where God used adversities so that those who placed their trust in Him will grow in their faith. Satan will try hard to impress in your thoughts that God is to be blamed for most of your problems. Joseph was a great example where he remained faithful to God even in the midst of trials. Jacob loved Joseph for he was his son in old age. This created jealousy among his older brothers that they planned to kill him. Reuben pleaded to his brothers that they decided to sell him to become a slave in Egypt. Instead of becoming bitter to what his brother did to him, he served God faithfully by becoming a good servant to Potiphar. Potiphar appointed Joseph to become his personal attendant for he saw in him a potential to succeed in what he does. “The Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished” (Genesis 39:5). Later on he was placed into prison because Potiphar’s wife accused him of trying to fool around her in spite of the fact that she was the one who tried to entice him. So when Joseph will not give in to the temptation, she accused him. While in prison, once again he did not become bitter and responded in his situation by remaining faithful to God. The jailer became Joseph’s friend that he let Joseph take charge of the rest of the prisoners. God continued to bless Joseph until one day when no one in Pharaoh’s court was able to interpret his dreams, he called on Joseph. Joseph told him the meaning of his dreams and when everything came into fruition, Pharaoh appointed Joseph to lead Egypt. “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you” (Genesis 41:39-40). When there was a great famine in Israel, people fled to neighboring cities. Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to seek help. At first, they did not recognize Joseph and when he revealed himself to them, they asked him for his forgiveness to what they had done to him. Joseph readily forgave them and told them that “God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Adversity will come to everyone but only those that believe and trust God will be divinely equipped so they could come out from their trials victorious.

Blessings.