Anger often dissipates when people remember the good times they’ve had with siblings in their family. However, resentment will continue if we don’t learn how to forgive. As for Joseph, he had his brothers in his company for dinner and hearing about his father and younger brother really had him in tears. It is written, “and he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.” (Genesis 43:27-31) Sorrow is what causes us to repent of our sins and get right with God, although we may first think we are not in the wrong.
As you can see, this was a joyous occasion, indeed. Praise God that Joseph was able to put his bitterness to rest during this meal with his brothers. It is in the next chapter that He finally gives in and fully forgives them. As for this meal, Benjamin was highly favored and got all that he wanted. It reads, “and they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of their’s. And they drank, and were merry with him.” (Genesis 43:32-24) It is from this encounter in the Bible that I pray that you will give family members a second chance. Forgive them in the same way as you wish God to forgive you of your sins. This is what God asks of each of us that say they believe in Him. Amen.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I ask that You help Christians to learn how to forgive one another. Truly, Your light would be shining brightly inside of us if we simply learned how to do this. Every spirit of bitterness and anger would be removed from our lives and those we reach. This is because people would see You, Lord, in us and then glorify our Father in heaven. I love the times I have with my family. They truly are a blessing in my life, and to see that doors have been closed off due to unforgiveness makes me very sad. All I can do is try to reach out to these people with love and pray that one day things will be better between us. This truly is hard to understand. The same people would say that they know that You have forgiven them and they are good to go come death. However, they are missing the most important aspect of forgivenes, which is the dependence of us forgiving, for us to be forgiven by You. Because this is not taught in churches or only taught on once in a great moon, so many people die in there sins thinking that all is right in Your presence. I want to squash that lie from Satan in Your Name, Jesus. Help people learn to forgive, that they may also be forgiven by You also. I love You. Amen.
