“Why do I have to forgive her?” my daughter asked after school one day. She looked at me frustrated and hurt. It had been a hard day at school with friendships. I could see the brokenness and betrayal she was feeling. I sat down with her at the kitchen table and asked her to tell me what happened. “It just doesn’t seem fair,” she explained. “I’ve done everything I can to keep being a good friend, but it doesn’t seem to work. She doesn’t seem to care.” Watching my daughter struggle, I felt frustrated about the situation too. I paused and then encouraged her to remember that we can pray for this friend. I reminded her that God has a plan for her in this situation and we can trust Him to help her.
We all know someone who has wronged us, don’t we? Perhaps for reasons we will never understand. Forgiveness isn’t easy, especially when those who are close to us hurt us. But God never stops working behind the scenes.
In Genesis 43–45, we witness one of the Bible’s most moving stories of forgiveness and restoration. Joseph, betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers, rose to power in Egypt. But God had a plan to use Joseph, and when famine drove his brothers to seek help in Egypt, they unknowingly stood before him. Despite their past cruelty to Joseph, he extended forgiveness and compassion, eventually revealing to them who he was with tears of joy. This powerful act not only reunited a broken family, but it transformed their hearts.
Joel 2:13 reminds us to “tear your heart, not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God. For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster.” God calls us to sincere repentance, encouraging us to return to Him with genuine hearts, knowing He is merciful, full of love, and ready to forgive.
God offers a promise to those who persevere with faith in Him. “Blessed is the one who endures trials because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). We have assurance that our endurance through trials is seen and rewarded by God.
These verses remind us that we can come to God and ask forgiveness, like Joseph forgiving his brothers, leading to healing and reconciliation. True repentance, coming from the heart, points us to God’s endless love and deliverance. When we needed a Savior, God extended His mercy and grace. Let us embrace forgiveness and trust in God’s plan to bless and redeem us.
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72 thoughts on "Joseph Reveals His Identity"
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Amen
(Hit post by mistake) In sister fashion, we both said things we shouldn’t to each other. It became more difficult when I apologized and told her I was sorry, but she refused to forgive me, or offer apology for her own words. But, this morning, she called me. And without mentioning apology or acceptance of mine, conversed for quite a while just like nothing had ever taken place. I think we’re good, and I forgive her. God forgives me for all my sins; may I always remember that when needing to give forgiveness to others.
That’s wonderful Teresa. I am so grateful to my sister for forgiving me. I am glad you made amends with your sister!
Joseph’s ability to forgive is such a beautiful picture of God’s Presence and work in Joseph’s life, as well as the forgiveness God gives to me. Lately, I have been in need of not only receiving forgiveness, but giving forgiveness, to my sister.
I love that God is faithful and constant, even when I am not. I also love that I can come to God and find the forgiveness that Joseph’s brothers found. I love God’s grace and mercy when I fail.
I was bawling my eyes out reading today’s chapters. And also yesterday. My husband heard me sob and he had to go investigate lol. Oh Lord have mercy. The will of God is not for the faint of heart. The reunion with Benjamin and his father is just so sweet. My heart is just bursting how things unfold. For our lives too, the dungeon season can seem so long, the isolation and darkness seems so long. But lookie here. What a beautiful lesson. Forgiveness takes God to walk with us, perhaps the prison is from within. God needs to extract all the poison and heal the woundedness of our heart. Don’t hide your pains. Come to God and ask Him to remove the bitterness, the anger, to perform the “heart surgery” and mend it back. Render your heart to the Lord. It can be done. His grace is sufficient. Rejoicing with you Rhonda, thank you for the great updates. Joining in prayers for our dear she’s. The Lord is great and His mercies endure forever. Be blessed dear sisters.❤️
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Hello Shes
Notice how Joseph carefully, not maliciously; not once but twice, tests his brothers’ character & conduct. They came to Egypt vulnerable, desperate, weakened. They were fearful, intimidated, cautious. They found compassion, pardon, charity. Joseph embraced them, wept over them, forgave them.
Nowhere is it written that the brothers freely or openly apologized for their wrongdoings. (Think about that in our own difficult dealings & emotional injuries! Waiting to hear the words, “I’m sorry”.).
It didn’t change the meaning of the story. It was the will of God that prevailed. The brothers could neither add to or take away from the blessing. What mattered was the mercy of God. For the ultimate salvation of His people.
That is a keen observation. There must be caution and testings as Joseph did after such emotional injuries. Thank you for that.
Oh that’s good!
So good! I hadn’t noticed that they didn’t apologize.
LAUREN EVE – Thank you for this beautiful devo!
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Psalm 105:19
Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.
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Hebrews 11:22
It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.
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Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
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The LORD tested Joseph’s character.
BY FAITH Joseph lived and died! He is mentioned in the Hall of Faith. (He is among the ‘huge crowd of witnesses’ listed in Hebrews!)
From Warren Wiersbe:
The word “witnesses” does not mean “spectators.” In fact, our English word “martyr” comes directly from the Greek word translated “witness.”
These people are not witnessing what we are doing; rather, they are
BEARING WITNESS TO US THAT GOD CAN SEE US THROUGH. (caps mine)
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The lyrics to the hymn When the Morning Comes are fitting.
From v 3-
Temptations, hidden snares
often take us unawares,
And our hearts are made to bleed
for some thoughtless word or deed,
And we wonder why the test
when we try to do our best,
But we’ll understand it better by and by. [Chorus]
Source: Baptist Hymnal 2008 by Charles
Albert Tinley
Love, Hugs, and prayers! ❤
Thank you for this insight:)
Thanks CeeGee for bringing this old hymn to remembrance! One verse of this hymn says: “we are
trusting in the Lord and
according to his word we will
understand it better by and by”.
This brings me great comfort
because lately many trials have
happened that came out of
nowhere and don’t seem to make any sense! But Joseph’s story
rings through the ages that God has a plan,nothing is by
happenstance and that we can trust Him to work all things for our good! Oh for grace to trust Him more!!!
A word about forgiveness: there is only one word for forgiveness in our language, but the Bible speaks of several kinds of forgiveness. I know a wonderful teaching on this, and I’ll post the link if I can find it. But it’s important to remember that if the person who sinned against us has not repented and changed their ways, we owe them nothing. And even if they have, we don’t owe them restoration of the relationship. This is one of the most beautiful stories in all of scripture, but it was decades in the making. We may wait a long time for our happy ending, and we may not get one, at least not in this life. But God is still faithful.
Also, a prayer request: I’m leaving the country on a mission trip to Guatemala on Friday, and my son’s caregiver continues to be ill. Her health has been an ongoing problem for all of us. Please pray for her, for me to have wisdom and compassion as I seek a resolution for this situation, and for my son’s ongoing care needs. Thank you, sisters.
❤ Iam happy to hear that you are well and able to go on that mission trip; how exciting for you! I join in praying for a mutually compassionate resolution to your situation with the caregiver. Praying for your safety in travel and a blessed mission!
Praying for your trip and the hearts that you will touch, and care arrangements for your son, recovery for his caregiver.
Good Morning! Appreciate everyone’s comments! The Lord brought me through a season where I had to forgive someone for a wrong that was done to me at work. It was such a special time. I knew I had to forgive and I prayed for the person. It was funny how the Lord kept letting our paths cross so that I could show her love and kindness! It was a valuable lesson for me. And for her to see God’s love through me. It was only by God’s grace that I could do it. But Joseph’s story was what brought me to forgiveness and remembering what Jesus forgave in me!
Praying for all! Have a blessed day!
I so relate to what SEARCHING said about the hardest person to forgive is onself. I struggled with harboring resentment towards my mother for years, even when she got diagnosed with cancer and ultimately went home to be with the Lord. I looked like I was doing the right thing on the outside, but my heart remained hardened. And after she passed, oh the guilt, shame and condemnation was making me sick. I never shared it with anyone because of how shameful I felt – to have a hardened heart towards my dying mother? About 7 years after she died, Sharon Jaynes come to speak at our church and had us do an exercise of writing down one big thing we were carrying and then we literally got up and laid it at the cross. Of course I wrote down the situation with my mom. Fast forward a few months and God organized the chess pieces and had me serve alongside a woman in church who was having similar problems with forgiving her own mother who was still alive. I shared my story, my shame, my regret in tears in the hope of sparing her the same. As we both sat there crying, she said something to me that completely realeased me of all the guilt I had been carrying for so long. Driving home I was reminded of how I had “left it at the altar” months before – and this was God’s gracious response to me. What a good good Father to not leave me in my guilt and shame.
Oh what a beautiful testimony! Shame holds so many captive! I think we can still have regrets…but know that God forgives us and we can forgive ourselves, yet it serve as a powerful reminder to share with others of God’s goodness and to “spare” others! Sometimes people still have to go through it themselves though. We learn this with our kids, releasing them for them to go their path–oh how hard. But maybe…they hear some?! I’m sure they do. All God’s divine plan. Or the devils plan to kill and destroy?!
You’re so right that forgiving ourselves is so hard, even when we know God has already forgiven us and no longer even remembers our sin.
What a beautiful testimony of the Lord working❤️
We continue to see Joseph’s depth of character – his composure, presence of mind, grace, wisdom. He could have followed another path all these years and hardened his heart towards his brothers and the wrong done to him. No doubt he was very much in tune with human nature and natural tendencies as he reminded his brothers not to fight on the way home. But Joseph was mature enough in heart, mind and faith to really trust, allow, see and be open to knowing that God was working despite the hardship. Oh to be like that! He knew that Lord had His hand in it all and saw things through such a different lense. His generous forgivenes is really quite something. There is so much foreshadowing about Jesus in Joseph’s story. His example of character is one to pattern our lives after so that when we to can have such a response in great trial and also point others to Jesus in the process. From HRT:
“Our challenges give us the chance to reveal who we really are—and point the world toward the One we really trust.” I pray that I too, could live a life that points to Jesus, but also not forget the depths of His mercy, grace and forgiveness in my life.
Praying for all that is on the hearts of those here.
Yes, Amen Wendy! I pray I do as well! What an example of a forgiving heart!! Fruits of the Spirit!
Yes, I find Joseph’s warning to his brothers not to fight on the trip home rather endearing. I love the touch of humor it adds to the story!
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James 1:12 has been a long time favorite verse of mine. James 1:12 NKJV
[12] Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Thank you Lord for your promise!
https://bible.com/bible/114/jas.1.12.NKJV
Genesis 45:1-2 pierces/ed my heart! I imagine in my head Joseph weeping LOUDLY! The hurt he must of felt YET extends forgiveness! To know that this young man wept so loud that it was heard by everyone pierces my heart! I’m sure most of us have “heard” a loud weep before. I know I have! Sometimes on this side of heaven we will never understand why we go through hard times, but when we do, I try to keep in mind its not forever. Like labor pain, its not forever. I know we belong to JESUS and we were never promised a pain-free life as we live in a fallen world full of fallen people like myself! BUT…I trust my God all the more even when its hard and hurts so bad or in my case even when it was SO scary, I knew MY JESUS was with me. Hope I’m not a downer here, but I remember that loud weep from my son, after moving here at my mom’s house and he experienced abandonment by his own dad. It hurt to hear him cry so loud! BUT GOD….my son chose to forgive and move on. It’s ALL God!!! None of it is me or my son, It’s because of JESUS of where we are today. Both my kids know that our Father God IS their daddy!
With all that said, PLEASE pray for my daughter as she (being transparent) still struggles with forgiveness. BUT she also knows she is VERY loved by our JESUS! I love my girl!
Oh you just answered some of my above questions! With God and our children! So thankful that you probably influenced your son’s decision to chose God rather than resentment and hate. Although I’m sure it will take years to still work through it, God is good and will do a good work in him, and Alissa!! You are a good work of the Lord Mari V!!!
Even with Alzheimers, I’m not sure i will ever forget the loud weeping of my daughter when her father walked out on both her and me. She was down on her knees, screaming, “Daddy don’t leave me!” Yet, she, too, chose to forgive, and even though he never apologized, she has a relationship with him today. Only God can work in our hearts to allow us to offer that type of forgiveness, the type of forgiveness he gives us.
I have a Praise. Well several! The exact prayer I was praying for my Nephew on the bond being doable or dropped came forth in a big way. It was going to be 50 thou!! And the hired lawyer got that completely dropped to nothing and released! That is only a God miracle, which my nephew will not even recognize but I know!
Stacey, our “butterfly” had her first video with her young, estranged daughter the other day! That was a prayer answered. Praying they keep moving to repair the damage. (Also praying for her to stay clean and getting a job.)
Praise the Lord for His work in the lives of your loved ones, Rhonda ❤️
Where would I be without His unending mercy and grace? I shudder to think. Thank you Lord for loving me and carrying me through all my days.
That brought the song to mind…by Andrew Ripp “For the Love of God!”
“Where would I be?
Where would I be if it wasn’t for the love of God?
(If it wasn’t for the love of God) oh yeah
This song of victory is
Now mine to sing
Hallelujah for the love of God
Has set me free”
❤ yes, love that song!
Amen. Yes, where would I be?
Mia, praying the Lord’s presence would continue to comfort, carry and encourage your heart and be near to you and your children ❤️
That exact same song came to mind, Rhonda, when I read Mia’s words :)
The ending that we love! Joseph’s story is SO good, and relevant for all of us! It is life. We will all have family betrayals, division, blow-up arguments that leave us judging and mistrust. Friends that we thought would be lifelong, yet crack or break apart. We will be cheated and do the cheating and receive harsh words and be the giver of them. Oh Lord, we are a mess. Every single last one of us. Help us. Restore us. Do as you do. Thank you, for your loving mercy and grace. When all is lost, and our lives are a mess- we can be reminded of Joseph and his life.
We will find ourselves in the pit. Whether by our own stupidity, accidental slip or fall, or being pushed intentionally or purposely. In OUR hopelessness- there is hope, Jesus is hope. We have nothing without him. He is restoration, he is revival, he is the way maker, miracle worker!
We as Christ-followers show everyone around us that hope. It is your biggest testimony, that shines the light to His Glory! Amen. May I keep testifying of His name in Glory, telling from generation to generation. May my life be about that, in the big and the small! What good is it to keep to myself?! Your story is powerful She’s!
Praying your brother Tami, and his family and friends. I just can’t imagine the heartache, hang on to the hope. Of the glory that shall come. Life is so short when these situations come and put it in perspective so fast. May the Lord be glorified in our suffering.
Teresa- also thinking of your daughter and your momma’s heart. Hope. Prayers.
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Thank you, Rhonda ❤️
Father, thank You for the gift of unending mercy and Grace through the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ! I need it and You every breath. In Jesus Holy name, Amen
Another random thoughts day –
The power of forgiveness. Harboring hard feelings and anger against someone who has betrayed or harmed us – so much energy used to stay angry, to keep those emotions stirred up. And the hardest to forgive … myself. Why did I do that, say that, go there? Or why didn’t I do, say, go? More energy used/wasted in kicking myself about the ‘why’ of something that is in the past and can’t be changed – praying I learn from these mistakes/poor choices/sins, both seeking and offering forgiveness as needed, drawing closer to the Lord to stay more in line with His plan.
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Joseph forgives his brothers, explaining how him being in Egypt was God’s plan all along, and tells them to forgive themselves.
Gen 45: 7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God;
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So thankful for God’s forgiveness and my salvation!!
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Never forget the work that God is constantly doing on our behalf. These words from Waymaker come to mind:
Even when I don’t see it, You’re working
Even when I can’t feel it, You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working
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Concern/love/compassion for family seems to overshadow the jealousy we’ve seen previously even though the favoritism of Rachel’s children is still in plain sight.
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Another song coming to mind, The Goodness of God.
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MERCY ❤️❤️
TERESA DONLEY – praying for Amanda’s healing, and for the family throughout her treatment
LINDAK ❤️
RHONDA J ❤️ “ I look back of the story of my life, and it is so apparent the thread of God’s tender love and mercies, his protection and goodness, yet where he lets my choices have their consequences. ” Thank you.
Praying for your nephew and grandchildren.
SHARON JERSEY GIRL ❤️
CEE GEE ❤️ good research, as always ❤️
REBECCA W ❤️
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LYNNE FROM AL – praying for y’all
“And the hardest to forgive… myself.” I so deeply relate. Thank you for sharing even your “random thoughts.” They never seem random to me, and I always take so much away from what God puts on your heart Searching. And love both of those songs!
Ditto! ❤ Thankful for your ‘random thoughts’ SEARCHING! ❤
Yes, Dear Searching…random thoughts…so relatable!
I love that song. Thank you Searching.❤️❤️❤️
Searching, thank you for praying for Amanda’s treatments and healing ❤️
From HRT: As believers, God leads us through difficult situations—not as punishment, but as a way of seeing more of Him and to shape our character as we become more like Him. Centuries after Joseph’s day, James wrote, “Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). There’s a real reward for trusting the Lord like Joseph did.
Our challenges give us the chance to reveal who we really are—and point the world toward the One we really trust.
Joseph’s incredible character through all of his trials really stuck out to me this time through Genesis. That character can only come from God. Such a challenge to intertwine myself so much with God, that the character that I show is that of God’s character.
On the podcast, they challenged us to read these accounts with Jesus in mind. It is incredible how much foreshadowing there is in this story of Joseph’s life that points to Jesus.
Oh your comment hit me. What do I reveal? God’s character? Sometimes not. Those are the moments that I struggle with. Why I can’t seem to control my mouth. What I needed to say was okay, it is how I say it sometimes that is not.
Same! My mouth has gotten in trouble a lot. I have come a long way though, thank you God.
Me too! My husband calls me out on my “tone”!
I found it interesting that Jesus is from the line of Judah and all throughout today’s reading, he is the one interceding on behalf of Benjamin. A small glimpse of what Christ would eventually do for us.
GM ladies, catching up on the reading and comments from the past 2 days! WOW! I don’t want to list names for fear of missing anyone but there are SOOO many that I have copied into my notes. Thank you for the time you all put into your comments. I am blown away.
Searching – thank you for remembering my brother BJ in prayer. He continues to decline and is unable to eat without pain/discomfort. We need answers from the doctors but they are not forthcoming. We need wisdom.
Teresa Donley – praying for Amanda and you and your family today, I can only imagine your mama worry. I pray God’s peace for you and minimal side effects for Amanda.
Tami, thank you so much for praying for Amanda,and for me. I’m praying for BJ, that the doctors will have answers and treatment. And BJ will have healing.
Love that Joseph told his brothers not to argue as they returned to get Jacob and their families. Can you imaginen their conversations along the way? When they returned to Jacob with all of the Egyptian wagons, what was Jacob’s reaction to the scene?!
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“For [God] is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and he relents from sending disaster.”
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Hallelujah!
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TERESA DONLEY – praying for Amanda and you.
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Praying for your other requests.
Please continue to pray for my young mama’s situation. She has applied for a few jobs and to a local community college to earn a certificate in medical coding hoping to increase her job options. She is still on waiting lists for a few shelters.
Praying ❤️
Prayers for her!
Praying
Yes, Kelly (NEO), what a band of brothers!
Fully human. Full of themselves.
Yet, fed. Yet forgiven.
Kelly, thank you for your prayers for Amanda and me. I’m praying for the young mother in need of a job and shelter. I pray the coding class enables her to get a well paying job with benefits.
Lauren Eve writes
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“Despite their past cruelty to Joseph, he extended forgiveness and compassion, eventually revealing to them who he was with tears of joy. This powerful act not only reunited a broken family, but it transformed their hearts.”
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Joseph, went through some stuff, forgive me, he went through some very difficult horrors and trials, but all the while, he held fast to His God.
He had 22 years to learn to forgive his brothers, 22 years to work on being compassionate.
Thankfully, Joseph did not sit and stew in the betrayal for 22years!
Forgiveness of a betrayal is not something that happens overnight, but in time and by the grace of God, it’s doable..
Let’s face it what the brothers did, is not something you easily forgive, let alone forget..
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BUT GOD..
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Being ever present with him, worked in him , and showed him what mercy, grace, protection, provision and love through his trials looked like, every day, God was gracious to him.
The trials came, and there was God!
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The journey of betrayal of another has been mine, but hand on heart, I can say I have forgiven the other person, but it did take years..
BUT GOD.
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When we needed a Saviour, God extended His mercy and grace, so beautifully said, Lauren.. We could never do this forgiving thing in our own strength… No way! Impossible!
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I am so very thankful for your love, grace, care and hope, Lord God.. Thank you for being close on days when all I perhaps want to do is scream, YOU, Lord are my blessed assurance, that with YOU, whatever may come, you are near and your plans are always, always to bless and redeem us.
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AMEN.
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We arrive at Wednesday, wow!
Happy today my dears.. Happy today!
Much love and prayers,
Tina.❤
Tina, as someone who also had to learn to forgive betrayal, I echo your words. It took a long time (longer than I expected), but God brought me through and kept me strong. And He blessed me with a heart even more devoted to Him and His leading in my life. All glory goes to Him!
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Amen!
I’ve read this many times but today it pulled together jealousy, forgiveness and being humble before the Lord for me. God works everything for good.
Amen ❤️
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Me too, another detail stands out to me each time I read it! Our church ladies Bible study even went through Kelly Minter’s Bible study last year on Joseph and I am still learning! Basically remembering it’s all God’s plan and I need to trust.