Grace and Forgiveness in the Face of Betrayal
Forgive, forget. Bear with the faults of others as you would have them bear with yours. Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful or malicious. Phillips Brooks
Joseph’s life had been turned upside down by the betrayal of his brothers. He first found himself serving as a slave in Egypt to Potiphar and then in prison because of a wrongful accusation. Joseph had every right to be angry, bitter and resentful. But Joseph had seen God’s sovereign hand of grace on his life and knew that he had to forgive his brothers. He had seen God’s hand of compassion, love, protection and providence. He had witnessed God’s faithfulness. He had seen God work miraculously in his life when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams concerning the seven years of abundance and the seven lean years. When he was appointed as governor over all of Egypt with the critically vital task of overseeing everything the country produced during the seven years of abundance, so that they would have enough during the seven years of famine (Genesis 41). It was during those seven years of famine that he came face to face with his brothers when they came to Egypt to buy grain. When Joseph reveals his identity to them, he utters these remarkable words:
”“I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don’t feel badly, don’t blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn’t you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt (Genesis 45:4-5,7-8 The Message Bible)
Joseph did not Seek Vengeance
The words that Joseph speaks are words spoken by a man who understands the importance of forgiveness. Joseph is not out to seek vengeance. Instead, he extends grace to them by exonerating them. He sets them free from the guilt and shame, the self-condemnation, they had been carrying for many years. Joseph understood that God orchestrates the events of our lives, not us. God determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9). He had seen how God used him as His instrument in the country that he was sent to as a slave because of his brothers’ betrayal. He saw how God had used him to fulfil His higher plans, not only for his life but also for his family and ultimately for His people.
This is the response God wants us to have when we are confronted with betrayal. He wants us to forgive those who have betrayed us and caused us harm. We forgive them because this is what God commands us to do in Ephesians 4:32 (NIV):
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you"
We forgive others because we, just like Joseph, have seen God’s hand of compassion, love and protection upon our lives. because we know that God determines our steps. Because we know that He does all things well.
Forgiveness is not that stripe which says, “I will forgive, but not forget.” It is not to bury the hatchet with the handle sticking out of the ground, so you can grasp it the minute you want it. DL Moody
Reflection
Has the sting of betrayal caused anger, bitterness and disappointment to settle in your heart? Have these negative emotions made it difficult for you to forgive those who have betrayed you?
Take time to think about how God’s sovereign hand has led you with His grace, protection and providence.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, You see my anger, bitterness and disappointment. God, these negative emotions are difficult for me to deal with. I give them to you. Please take them from me, Lord. Thank You for forgiving me when You died on the cross of Calvary. Give me the courage and the strength to forgive those who have betrayed me and hurt me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
