⁵ And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. (Genesis 45:5 ESV)

In retrospect Joseph looked back upon his life and forgave his brothers for selling him into slavery because God had a bigger plan. He recognized that God’s plan may have meant a lot of years of difficulty, but in the end it lead him to a place of great honor, respect and reward.

We may never find that our hardship brings us all that Joseph was given. But it could be that it provides a path to show others how God provides and protects us during adversity. This requires a mature, objective and humble view of our lives. We may not be able to look at the net outcome before we are in eternity and have an eternal perspective.

Joseph endured quite a lot before being given his elevated role. I am sure he encountered may very discouraging days where he wondered “why me”. But ultimately he stuck to and stood upon his faith and it protected him in the end. We may have to stand firm in this way as well.

Sometimes life requires a putting away of our selfish wants and desires and requires that we just exist humbly in our circumstance. It is here where faith grows the most. Often it is upon the threshing floor where we have our greatest breakthroughs. Sometimes we must simply live beyond our current situation.