Here’s something else Joseph knew that we need to know too. You can’t afford the excess baggage of bitterness. After many years, Joseph met his brothers again when they came to Egypt for grain. As they entered Joseph’s presence and bowed before him, Egypt’s second-in-command, they didn’t recognise him. And when Joseph tried to tell them who he was, they were stunned and horrified. Here was the brother they had tried to kill years earlier, and now he was in a position to do whatever he wished with them. But instead, he forgave them. Why? Because Joseph knew he couldn’t afford the excess baggage of bitterness. So what should we do when you’re tempted to hold on to bitterness? Do what Joseph did: he held on to his faith and hope in God, believed that things would work out well in the end, and continued his spiritual life. When things go wrong, we often turn our back on the one person we need most – God. When difficulties come our way, we say, ‘God, why did You allow this to happen?’ We start blaming God as if it’s His fault, instead of saying, ‘Lord, please handle this problem.’ God can take circumstances that are completely bad and turn them around. When people attempt to use situations to destroy us, God can use them to develop us. He delights in turning crucifixions into resurrections. The Bible says, ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you’ (James 4:8 NKJV). God comes by invitation, and as long as we keep talking to Him and trusting Him, He’ll work things out for us.
