Moving Toward Forgiveness by Wendy AlsupSample

What empowered Joseph to walk in faith through the brutal circumstances he faced? 

These passages give us a clue. Joseph is commended in Hebrews 11 because he believed God was doing something that was bigger than his life. He told his children to take his bones with them when they left Egypt and returned to God’s promised homeland. He was confident that God would finish what he had started, even if Joseph died before he saw it completed. 

Joseph’s story contributed to that larger story. The betrayal by his brothers led to Joseph being able to provide for them in famine. It led them to Egypt, where they would grow into a great people. And from this family line, Jesus would come.

Our stories also contribute to a larger story. The good and hard parts of our stories matter in God’s larger story, the story of his redemption of the world through Jesus. God’s larger story—his promises to his people—enabled Joseph to persevere in the hardest parts of his own story, and the same is true for us.     

• How are forgiveness and reconciliation a part of God’s bigger story in the world and eternity?    
• As you continue to extend forgiveness and work toward reconciliation, how can you be praying for the other person, who is also part of God’s bigger story?    
• Will you ask God to continue to give you faith, helping you to believe he is using even the hard parts of your story?

For further reflections and help moving forward with forgiveness, we recommend reading I Forgive You, by Wendy Alsup, on which this plan is based. Grab a copy at www.thegoodbook.com or wherever books are sold.