     Genesis 37:24 "And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it." Genesis 37:27 "Come let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, " Have you ever been the recipient of hatred, ostracizing, or plotted against? Rejoice, for here lies your greatness! In the story of Joseph, his brethren did the very same thing. He was hated by them and they wanted to get rid of him. Imagine that, his own brethren. I'm here to tell you that we can do our own brethren the same injustice. As a matter of fact, some of us have done just that. Often, the reasons for such treatment is due to one's resentment of God. Yes, any individual who behaves this way and treats his brothers or sisters in this way is actually saying to God that they resent the fact that He has either withheld something from them, is unfair towards them, and they are so angry about it that they will now take matters into their own hands and exact punishment on someone else who seems to have what they feel they deserve. This act comes in the form of many things like: 1. Speaking evil against you to others (sowing discord among the Lord's people) 2. Hindering you from participating in events 3. Excluding you 4. Lying on you 5. Hateful acts against you 6. Ostracizing you The list, unfortunately, goes on. The very thing Joseph's brethren were jealous about and didn’t want to happen, happened anyway. No one can stop God’s will or plan for your purpose in life when you are obedient and found in the right spiritual condition. People will try to hinder, and it looks as if their tactics are working because you are being hindered for real, but they have no idea that the Lord is allowing the hindrance to fulfill His will and purpose for you. We may get bent out of shape and feel they are gaining their way against us (being used of Satan), but God factored in all of those things from the day He set out to use you for His glory. Joseph’s brothers played right into the hands of God! Joseph got what was for him! The problems his brethren caused only strengthened him and made him mightier in the hands of God. So who gets the last laugh??? In this account, God humbles his brethren greatly. God factors in the past evil done against Joseph. Now they answer to what they did to him. Now they are under duress. They now have become fearful. Now the evil they pushed to the back of their minds have now been placed to the forefront and they are brought into remembrance of what they did against their brother. Joseph is exalted….his brethren are humbled. Never retaliate for the evil done against you. God is allowing it for His purposes and your good. Blessing comes at the end of suffering and enduring injustice. God gives good pay back and revenge is sweet when it’s left to Him to exercise it. All of their evil against Joseph propelled him into greatness! “You meant it for evil, but God planned it for good!
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