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"BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR YOUR GOOD" "Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren;" (Genesis 37:2b)"And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?But as for you, ye thought evil against me; BUT GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:18-20) (caps mine)These verses paint a beautiful picture which captures the triumph of forgiveness over past wrongs, the fulfillment of promises, and the trust in God's perfect plan.Now, Jacob had died, and his 11 sons feared their brother Joseph's retribution for their past actions toward him. They sent a message claiming that Jacob wished Joseph to forgive them. Upon receiving the message, Joseph weeps and assures his brothers of his forgiveness, acknowledging that their evil actions were used by God for good (Genesis 50:15-18).We find that over 90 years had passed between Joseph feeding the flock with his cruel brethren in Gen. 37:2, and Joseph calming the fears of his changed brethren in Gen. 50:18-20. Just think of all the heartaches that Joseph had dealt with for nearly a century. It sure would have been easy to throw in the towel when it came to trusting God.Yet, Joseph remained loyal to his Creator and knew deep down in his heart even before those comforting words were ever penned, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)You know folks, God has a way of turning a tragedy into a triumph. He can take what seems to be a mess and make a miracle out of it. Example?? Just think back at our former condemned souls that were one day foreign to God, but then His by grace, He went the second mile and with Holy Spirit conviction, He converted and changed us and are hereby now known throughout the Halls of Heaven as children of the LORD of Glory!Someone reading this might be on the verge of calling it quits. The problems you're facing are gnawing away at your very soul like a hungry termite within a wall, and you're thinking about walking away from the very One who has the answer.Make no mistake about it, life can be tough at times just like it was with Joseph. and it would be a whole lot tougher for you and me without the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Sure, we all get knocked down now and then, but that doesn't mean we have to lay there and miss what the Lord has in store for us!Joseph knew that whatever happened along the trail of standing tall, stating the course, and loving his Lord no matter what happened to him, He always knew, from that prison and on to a palace, that God meant it for good.My friends, if you love God, then He sees that in very depths of your heart. Just remember this: whatever comes your way, you can rest assured. He meant it for your good!