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"THE BULLY FEAR"

Fear is like a large bully at the playground. It makes a ton of noise and does little good. It also has an uncanny ability to reappear at unsuspecting times. Even when we try to push away certain fears, they often resurface in our lives. We see that struggle come to life at the end of the book of Genesis in the hearts of Joseph’s brothers.

Joseph and his brothers were reunited in the land of Egypt after years of alienation. Joseph’s brothers had bitterly betrayed him in years past. Joseph used his high position in Pharaoh’s court to show mercy and reunite with his family. The Scripture reading today picks up after the death of their beloved Patriarch—Jacob.

In verse 15, grief turns to fear when the brothers imagine that Joseph may now exact revenge on them since their father has passed. For seventeen years Joseph had acted with acceptance and compassion, but it seems like fears of Joseph’s future retribution had lurked in the back of their minds for years.

Do you have similar fears? Rational or irrational, we often live under a thin cloud of fear and apprehension because we don't trust people and we certainly don't trust God.

When Joseph learns of their concerns, he replies in verses 19 and 20 with one of the most powerful statements about God’s sovereignty in the Bible. He affirms that God is the one who dispenses justice. He also beautifully states that regardless of the brothers’ intent to harm him, God’s greater purpose of good prevailed in his life.

Though it's natural to fear we must learn to trust God’s sovereign ability to bring good from wrongs done to us. We must truly take the character of God with us into our past, present, and future.

Joseph went out of his way to relieve his brothers’ fears by displaying a keen awareness of the character of God. We don't really know if his brothers continued to fear or if they rose above it. But we have the chance to live our lives without crippling fears lurking around every corner. We can trust what comes into our life comes by God’s wise and loving design. Fear has no chance to reign in that kind of environment.

*What is a situation you are facing right now that gives you an opportunity to trust God’s ability to bring good out of the wrong done to you?

Do you need to mend a relationship with someone you have wronged?