2022: A Year of Peace and Restoration (Part Eight)

—Genesis 50:20 NASB

‘Every evil is for Good’

There is a powerful saying in Bulgarian: ‘Every evil is for good.’ This literal translation basically means that even bad things will eventually bring forth something good; that even evil things people do against you will work out for your good. This proverb exists in other cultures, too. There is wisdom in this, but it is also a matter of faith. The great apostle Paul stated that ‘God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose’ (Romans 8:28). He himself had to suffer much harm (see 1 Cor 4; 2 Cor 4), yet was ‘more than a conqueror’ through Jesus Christ who loved him (Rom 8:37) with a love that could not be conquered or taken from us (vv 38–39). Darkness cannot cast out light, rather light casts out darkness, as love casts out fear and evil. Trust God to turn your misfortunes into something good!

The words quoted above from Genesis 50 came from a powerful man who had to endure a lot of pain, injustice and suffering until the plan of God he saw in dreams as a teenage came to pass. His name was Joseph. He is an illustrative biblical example of how God can cause all things to work together for good if only we stay faithful to Him, walk through the process and trust Him to work it all out.

When the Unexpected Happens

Western people usually like to be in control of things and their lives; they like to decide what will happen and how it should happen. They want every detail in their lives to be planned and work out according to their imagination and dreams. But what if the unexpected happens? The vast majority of people on our beautiful planet don’t have the luxury of much choice, let alone power over their lives and future. They seek to survive or get by somehow. There is much suffering in this world. So how do we deal with the life we were given? Do we believe that God has good plans for us (Jer 29:11) and do we expect good things to happen? Or do we, while in suffering, wish we’d go from ‘womb to tomb’ because ‘hardship after hardship’ (Job 9:17, 19) is our daily reality? It’s fascinating to me, that in the regions of the world where life seems hardest, suicide rates are the lowest, whereas in affluent nations, it’s higher. How could that be? How come those who fight to survive do so, while those who seem to have it easier sometimes throw away their lives? Strange, isn’t it? There must be an explanation for this phenomena…

Let’s consider a special story in the Bible that can help us deal with hardship and believe in some good to happen in the future. The life story of Joseph (Gn 37—50) is a powerful illustration of how to handle tough times that suddenly hit you without prior warning. Everything turned bad for him without him being able to stop it or change it. He seems to have been in charge of his life and destiny, yet when the unexpected happened, everything changed.

Growing up as the favoured child in the family and with an exalted position above his brothers, Joseph soon became the object of jealousy and even hatred. His father loved him more than his other children (Gn 37:3), and they knew it, felt it and hated Joseph for it (v 4). On top of that, Joseph had dreams of him being in an exalted position over them (vv 5–7), so they hated him even more (v 8), jealousy grew (v 11), and things became so bad that they even ‘plotted against him to put him to death’ (v 18). That’s pretty bad!

They mocked Joseph as ‘this dreamer’ (v 19), jealousy being the driving force behind their evil conspiracy. Once dead, they reasoned, ‘let us see what will become of his dreams!’ (v 20). It was a hatred of him as a privileged child, but also of his exalted destiny. They felt inferior and sought some form of revenge. We know the outcome of the story and know that everything worked out well in the end, so it’s easy for us to say that it wasn’t such a big deal. But if you were Joseph at the time, this was not so. It was a big deal! Everything changed in a moment, the unexpected happened, and everything seemed lost and over.

They stripped him of his colourful tunic, a symbol of his privilege over them, and threw him into a pit. Reuben averted the death plot, seeking to rescue him later, and then Judah convinced his brothers to better sell him and make some money. Merciless, despite Joseph begging them with tears and anguish (42:21), they executed their evil plans and then sat down and ate a meal (37:21–30). How they could eat after such an evil act makes one to wonder what was going on with their conscience. They must have felt a sense of relief and satisfaction revenge brings, although this is usually only a temporary feeling. They sold their brother as a slave and those traders ‘brought Joseph to Egypt’ (v 28).

Despite their horrible deed, Joseph ended up where God wanted him and needed him to be: in a strategic place of influence (v 36). Even when people plot and do bad things, God’s sovereignty can set all things into place for future blessing and success. Trust Him. The anguish and pain in Joseph must have been unbearable – hated, humiliated, rejected, at a loss and separated from his home. How did he handle this? And how did the brothers handle it in relation to their father?

The brothers now had to tell their father, seeking to cover up their evil sin of betrayal. They let the tunic do the lying for them, as Richard Alter pointed out.[1] This caused tremendous pain and suffering to Jacob (vv 31–35). All these years Jacob had to live with the thought that his son was dead, only to be reunited with him in his old age. But how did Joseph handle the unexpected?

God can Bless you despite Bad Circumstances

From a human perspective, Joseph was enslaved; yet from a divine perspective, Joseph was at the right place, right where God wanted him to be. How you perceive your circumstances is crucial in being able to handle them. Was he bitter and angry against his brothers? Did he accuse God for allowing this suffering? What Joseph experienced in his unexpected difficulties was God’s presence with him: ‘The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man’ (39:2). ‘… the Lord was with him and … caused all that he did to prosper in his hand’ (v 3). The most important part about life is not your circumstances, but whether or not God is with you in it. God can bless you despite bad circumstances! God is not limited to your circumstances. God wants to meet you in your circumstances and work out His plans, so don’t complain about it, rather see the hand of God in everything. As a matter of fact, God used these circumstances to work our His plans for the benefit and blessing of many people, as we shall see shortly. Trust God to cause all things to work together for good (Rom 8:28).

Not only was God with Joseph and blessed him to make him a successful man despite his bad circumstances, his ‘boss’ saw God’s blessing on him and everything he did (v 3) and how God even ‘blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph’ (v 5). We are called to be a blessing to others wherever we are—at home, at work, at school, in private and in public. Although the experience of betrayal by his own brothers and the separation from his father had caused Joseph tremendous pain, he did not become a bitter man. Bitterness and anger ruin everything and bring the worst out of us. Forgiveness and humility cause God’s blessing to flow from heaven to us and on earth through us to others!

Perhaps there's no greater pain than being rejected by your own family, yet making the best of everything is the only way forward! Don't fall for the pit of self-pity or the prison of bitterness. Forgive and walk into the future as a free person. Joseph’s choice of names for his (half-Egyptian) sons shows that his experience was ‘trouble’ and ‘affliction’ to him (41:50–52), yet he chose the right path in life! He chose to do the right thing anyway. Do the same. This way God can cause all things to work together for good.

Handling Trust and Responsibility Well

The blessing of God on Joseph had an additional effect on his master: ‘he left everything he owned in Joseph’s charge’ (39:6). God will not only bless us in difficult circumstances, but also make people trust us and delegate responsibility to us. How we handle these is crucial for our growth and the outworking of God’s plans and purposes in and through our lives. Good stewardship of what belongs to others and how we handle the responsibilities delegated to us are crucial qualification markers in any career. Only those who can be faithful in small things, can be trusted with big things (see Lk 16:10). Joseph handled the responsibilities entrusted to him very well, even under the worst of temptation and conspiracy.

It appears that sexual temptation is a real issue in people’s lives and careers, including at the work place. The exposed scandals in Hollywood in recent years shows how lives can be ruined when sexuality is abused. Joseph had to face this issue, too. Although often men are the sexual predators, sometimes it’s the ‘desperate housewives’ who lust for young, handsome man for some romantic fling and sexual pleasures. The dangers of such a temptation cannot be overstated. Joseph would’ve lost everything, perhaps even his life. Ironically, although ‘he refused’ her and resisted to committed ‘this great evil’ and would not ‘sin against God’ (39:8–9), the woman didn’t stop pursuing him in lustful ways. Not achieving her aims, she would eventually falsely accused him of rape and got him imprisoned (39:11–20). Getting punished for doing the right thing is tough. Jesus even died by crucifixion, despite being innocent!

Day after day Joseph had resisted her ‘offers,’ showing his determination for purity and demonstrating a responsible attitude towards the man who entrusted him with everything in his house. It wasn’t just a matter of purity, but also one of trust. Sex with Potiphar’s wife would betray his trust in Joseph. It’s remarkable how Joseph, although himself betrayed, would not betray the trust invested in him! Many times, people do the bad thing they had suffered themselves to others. This is wrong. Great character is demonstrated by not doing bad when you are wronged. The Bible encourages us not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil by doing good (Rom 12:21). This is the way! Jesus taught us to bless those who curse us and do good to those who persecute us (Mt 5:10-11; 44-45).

But beyond that, for Joseph it was a matter of not doing what is sinful before God. Joseph wouldn’t have it. Sexual sin is a serious issue, never to be underestimated. Eventually, Joseph would end up in prison despite doing the right thing. It’s usually bearable if you suffer due to your own mistake or stupidity, but a rather different issue if you suffer innocently for doing the right thing. Yes, sometimes doing the right thing can get you into trouble—but it still is and remains the right thing to do. Wrong doesn’t become right just because Hollywood says so. God’s moral standards won’t change, even if the majority disapproved them. Divine ethics are not open to 'democratic elections'; they are set in stone forever. Godly morals are not a matter of public opinion; they are established eternally by God. Those who remain faithful to them will eventually reap a blessing although temporarily it can make life worse. Or, at least, we might think so. It depends on your perspective. Do you live to please God or yourself? Can you trust Him even if things seem to be going wrong? Can you remain faithful even when it hurts?

Remain Faithful to God and the Gifts Given to You

In yet another twist of fortune in Joseph’s life, things went from bad to worse, that is, judged from a human perspective. He was placed in jail (39:20). Betrayed and sold by his brothers and innocently accused and imprisoned by a woman he did not violate, by now most of us would really struggle with bitterness. Joseph was stripped by his brother of his tunic and privileged position, and now he was stripped by that ‘desperate housewife’ of his honour and position. Losing a good job due to false accusations is unfair, wrong and tough. The sense of betrayal can cause strong bitterness. But there was nothing he could do, except to forgive, trust God and remain faithful to the gifts entrusted to him. And that’s exactly what caused the outworking of God’s good plans and helped in eventually getting Joseph to the position of prime authority. As we say in English, it was ‘a blessing in disguise.’ Sometimes the best things start to happen when life looks the worst.

From a divine perspective, it was no coincidence that Joseph ended up in the household of a powerful and influential man. And again, the type of prison he was placed in now, was precisely where God needed him to be. Exactly there, Joseph would meet, and serve, the key person that was instrumental in his later promotion. People prefer to network in the Country Club or on the Golf Course, yet with Joseph it was the prison. Sometimes God would set up stepping stones for your future and career development in the most unlikely places. Don’t despise these hard times or ‘bad places,’ but learn what you can and make the best out of everything.

As in Potiphar’s house, God was with Joseph in prison and made him and his work to prosper (39:20–21). And again, he was entrusted with responsibility (39:22–23). God’s blessing is not dependent on your circumstances, but on your attitude. Joseph became better, not bitter. Beyond that, he was a compassionate person despite his own discomfort and suffering. He took care of the other prisoners (40:4) and was compassionate about their welfare (vv 6–7). When you can take care of others despite your own needs or pain, you demonstrate great character. Often people develop compassion when they are going through stuff others go through. And people want to know if you know what they are going through before they will listen to you and receive help and advice. It’s a good thing. It’s ‘real life kinda stuff,’ not just weak theory. Going through stuff forms our character.

What marked Joseph was not only God’s blessing, but we also see that he remained faithful to the gifts God had entrusted to him. These were prophetic in nature. He had dreams in his teens, yet sharing them with his brothers got him into trouble. Don’t share the right thing with the wrong people—or in the wrong way. The brothers’ actions were inexcusable, yet if Joseph came across cocky, they are rather understandable. Whatever the case, God was working out His plans and purposes and Joseph would eventually understand that. But here he was, in prison, serving others, and being presented with a ‘golden opportunity.’

The fellow prisoners had had dreams they couldn’t interpret (40:8), which was why they had been sad (v 7). Joseph noticed this and offered his services with his prophetic gifts. Things eventually came to pass exactly as he predicted in the interpretation of their dreams (vv 9–13, 16–22). This must have made a strong impression on them. Joseph then sought the help of the cupbearer to prove his innocence and get him out of prison (vv 14–15), only to be forgotten by him (v 23). It’s true, sometimes the people we help forget about us—help anyway! Joseph did the right thing and remained faithful to his gifts. Eventually it paid off.

Be Ready When Your Time Comes

A second time Joseph did what was right without getting anything good in return: he had resisted the desperate housewife and served the needy prisoners. As of yet, his circumstances did not improve. Yet eventually they improved—drastically! There is such a thing as ‘prophetic timing.’ There are key moments in our lives when we must be ready to take action. Until then, we must be patient and faithful; yet we must be ready when our time comes. The psalmist would later write about Joseph’s enslavement (Ps 105:17–18) in the following way: ‘Until the time that his word came to pass’! (v 19a). There is always an ‘until’ in God’s divine plan, timing and process. In the meantime, the psalmist stated, ‘The word of the Lord tested him’ (v 19b). He got released, set free and became a ruler (vv 20–21). Everything changed very quickly. Joseph had lost everything he had very swiftly, and was eventually restored very swiftly. Some things take time, but then things can accelerate. Be both patient and ready.

Joseph was patient while in difficulties, yet ready when his time came. God will, in His divine providence, arrange opportunities that will not only advance our career, but fulfil God’s plans. Forgiveness made sure he would not miss this opportunity as a bitter man, polluting his divine giftings. Don’t allow anything to poison you and abort the destiny God has planned. As a matter of fact, Joseph remained a humble and faithful steward in God’s global plan for avoiding mass starvation. He was the key instrument God would use to avert disaster. We must, therefore, see the bigger picture, not focus on our own suffering and misfortune.

The Pharaoh himself now had dreams he couldn’t interpret and no one was found that could (Gn 41:1–8). This was a serious, national crisis at the highest level, but it was exactly the great opportunity Joseph was being prepared for all these years. ‘When preparation meets opportunity…,’ they say. The cupbearer, seeking to find a solution for his master, suddenly remembered Joseph—divine timing! He related the events that took place in prison (41:9–13), affirming that Joseph was accurate and trustworthy in interpreting dreams: ‘just as he interpreted for us, so it happened’ (v 13) as the testimony about Joseph. He found the man to solve the riddle for the world’s most powerful man at the time. Joseph was ready for the promotion of a lifetime. 'Trust the process,' as they say.

From Prince to Prisoner to Prime Minister

Joseph’s journey was unfolding. He grew up as a prince in his father’s house, but then was enslaved and became an innocent prisoner, only to find himself exalted to the second highest position under the world’s most powerful ruler at the time, like a Prime Minister under the Queen or King. It’s a story for a fancy novel or romantic movie, but we know this actually happened.

Pharaoh called for Joseph, and gave him the opportunity to interpret the dreams, the famous fat and thin cows which symbolised years of plenty followed by years of famine (Gn 41:14–15). Joseph did interpret, giving honour to the Source of divine interpretation: God Himself (vv 16, 25). Joseph knew it was God’s gift in him and entrusted to him in order to serve others. Joseph not only gave an interpretation of the dream, but also a strategy to avoid disaster (vv 25–37). Eventually Joseph was put in charge of this work to prepare for the coming famine (vv 38–44) at the age of thirty (v 46), executing this great responsibility of national, even international, proportion with diligence (vv 47–49). When your opportunity arises, be ready for it and give your best! Life’s destiny is greater than you or your hardships. It’s about a greater purpose you need to discover and fulfil. In this process you must keep your focus on the bigger picture without getting lost in the details. Like Mark Twain famously said, the two most important days in life are the one you were born and the one you find out why! Find your purpose in life.

Looking at the Bigger Picture from a Divine Perspective

Looking at it from a divine perspective, seeing the bigger picture, we see that eventually all things worked together for good and Joseph became a tremendous blessing despite his temporary suffering. He had been 17 years old (37:2) when he was first mentioned, and now around 13 years later, things had changed dramatically. Through it all, Joseph continued with the little strength and opportunities he had, making the best of everything, while patiently waiting for life to improve again. Life is not about having everything perfect, but making the best of everything imperfect!

He was in a powerful position as his initial dreams suggested and his brothers would eventually bow to him (as the rest of the story in Genesis 37—50 tells us), but he came to realise several things: it was not about him being exalted, but him serving others in that exalted position of power; it was not about him becoming great, but him providing a great solution for a great problem; it was not about the brothers bowing down to him, but about him serving them by provision and reconciliation; it was not about his career, but the blessing he could be to others and that family is more important than success; it was not about the evil deeds of his brothers, but about God using whatever life throws at you and working out a good plan for the welfare of others!

When we look at life from a divine perspective, things start to make sense. We look back and see how certain things had to happen and how they prepared us for where we are now. As believers our great advantage is that we can trust a sovereign God who controls history. We find comfort in His assurance that He will cause all things to work together for good as we love Him and pursue the calling He has prepared for us (Rom 8:28). We need to discover and walk in the good works He has prepared for us (Eph 2:10), even when the journey is difficult at times. There is blessing and contentment in this, both for us and others we touch. Trust your good and faithful God. Nothing can stop His plan. Trust Him to work out all things for your good and the good of others. You are called to be a blessing!

[1] Alter, Richard. The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York: Basic Books, 2011. 2