But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result-the survival of many people. Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.      Genesis 50:19-21 HCSB

In true forgiveness there is no “but”. Many times we may say or hear others say, “I forgive you, but..” One that I’ve heard many times is I forgive you, but I won’t forget. There are many things I love about the historical account of Joseph. I love that Joseph stays true to God even though he is sold into slavery. He doesn’t give up on God. There is no indication that he hated his brothers for the awful thing they did to him. I also love the fact that God was always with him. Even though the Egyptians did not worship the one true God, they could see that God was with Joseph. He was put in positions of leadership even as a slave and a prisoner. Finally when he went before Pharaoh, he was placed as second in command of all of Egypt. The Bible tells us that Joseph prospered in all he did and all he managed. Those around him saw this.

Joseph’s brothers felt guilty for what they had done to Joseph. Even after Joseph had them all move to Egypt so he could be assured they were well cared for, they believed he would eventually seek revenge. They went so far as to offer themselves as to lie about their father’s dying wish. They wanted desperately to receive Joseph’s forgiveness. In our Scripture passage Joseph explains to them that what they had intended for evil, God had worked out for good. This shows us that God can use evil people and even use their evil behavior to work for the good of others. God is in complete control.

Joseph gave us an example of true forgiveness. This kind of forgiveness can only happen when we trust in God and His sovereignty. When we trust in Him and know He’s got our back we have no need to fear others. Joseph could have made their life miserable, but then he would be the one disobeying God. He chose not only to forgive them but to be kind to them and to help them. This is exactly what Jesus said we should do in Matthew 5:38-48 when he tells us to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile when evil people come against us. He goes on to tell us to love our enemies. This is what Paul meant in Romans 12:19 when he told us to leave vengeance up to God.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15 that if we forgive others, God will forgive us. There is a “but” there. He said that if we don’t forgive others God will not forgive us of our wrong doing.

I don’t just want God to say He forgives me. I want him to truly forgive me. I want Him to show me love and kindness. I want His blessing on my life. The Bible clearly tells us that in order for us to have God’s forgiveness, we must forgive others. I don’t know about you, but I mess up continually. I am constantly in need of God’s forgiveness. I can’t afford to hold grudges. I can’t afford to be bitter. I certainly can’t afford to not truly forgive those who have offended me.

Unforgiveness brings about bitter and envy. These are things we are told that we must get rid of in Ephesians 4:31. We will never get rid of these things if we hold on to unforgiveness.

The bottom line is that unforgiveness is simply not worth it. Half-hearted or faked forgiveness is useless. Only true forgiveness will work. If you claim to have forgiven someone, be sure that you have wholeheartedly forgiven them. You can determine this by asking yourself several questions. Do you wish them harm? Do you speak kindly to them when the opportunity arises? Would you be willing to assist them if they needed your help? Do you slander them to others? Slander is one of the other things we are told to remove in Ephesians 4:31.

Joseph cared for his brothers even after all they did to him. Joseph prospered and did well. He accepted that God was sovereign and was in control. He trusted God’s plan for his life even if it meant he had to suffer for a time. Are you willing to do the same?

Have a great day!