When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”
Genesis 50:15
Forgive the Unforgivable
Years had passed, but Joseph’s brothers were still afraid. Long ago, they had been jealous of Joseph. Their jealousy turned into hatred, and their hatred led them to do something terrible. They sold their own brother into slavery and let their father believe Joseph was dead.
But Joseph did not stay a slave. Through a remarkable series of events, God eventually placed Joseph in a position of great power in Egypt. Years later, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt looking for food during a famine. They were shocked to discover that their brother was alive and in such a position of power. Their father was thrilled to learn that his long-lost son was alive. All was well.
But then their father died. The brothers were terrified. Maybe Joseph had only been kind to them in order to please their father. Maybe now he would finally get revenge. They could imagine punishment. They could imagine Joseph making them pay.
What they could not imagine was forgiveness. Guilt can do the same thing to us. It reminds us of the worst things we have done. It tells us that some sins are too serious, too shameful, or too deliberate to be forgiven. We may believe that God forgives sins in general, yet still wonder, “But will he forgive this?”
The answer is yes. God does not forgive reluctantly. He is not pretending to forgive while secretly planning to punish you later. Jesus already took the punishment your sins deserved. On the cross, he paid for every sin completely.
Joseph did not take revenge on his brothers. He reassured them, cared for them, and spoke kindly to them.
Your Savior does even more. When guilt tells you that God must still be angry, listen to Jesus instead. His cross says the punishment has been paid. His empty tomb says the payment was enough. What seems unforgivable to you is not beyond the forgiveness of Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when guilt makes me doubt your forgiveness, direct me to your cross and assure me that my sins have been paid for completely. Amen.
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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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