When God Brings Good From What Was Meant for Evil

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
Genesis 50:20

Genesis 50:20 is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of God's ability to redeem what appears to be hopeless.

Joseph's brothers intended evil against him. They betrayed him, sold him into slavery, and set in motion years of suffering that Joseph never would have chosen for himself.

Yet God was working through all of it.

Joseph eventually came to understand that what his brothers intended for evil, God intended for good. God used Joseph's suffering to preserve his family and ultimately an entire nation.

This doesn't mean the evil was good. It means God is so sovereign that even the things intended for evil cannot ultimately thwart His purposes.

There is no greater example of this than the cross.

Humanity rejected, tortured, and crucified the sinless Son of God. From a human perspective, it looked like the greatest possible tragedy and defeat.

But God was accomplishing redemption.

The cross reminds us that God can bring His greatest victories out of what appears to be our greatest defeats.

That truth has become especially personal for me recently.

As I write this, I'm sitting in a hospital with my newborn son, Wyatt. He has needed help breathing, and we've been crying out to God for healing and praying that we will soon be able to bring him home.

It's been difficult.

There have been tears, uncertainty, exhaustion, and moments when I've asked God why we're walking through this.

But even in the middle of the sadness, I've seen God's goodness.

I've watched my family and friends surround us with an incredible amount of love and support. I've had opportunities to pray with people I otherwise may never have met. We've been able to encourage nurses and medical staff who are caring for our son. I've seen God's provision in ways I couldn't have planned.

Most importantly, I've found myself becoming more dependent on Jesus.

Sometimes God uses circumstances to remind us that He is our only true source of hope.

I don't know everything God is doing through this season. I don't know exactly how every piece of the story will unfold.

But I don't have to know.

I can trust Him.

Joseph couldn't see God's plan when he was sitting in a pit. He couldn't see it when he was sold into slavery. He couldn't see it when he was falsely accused or sitting in prison.

But God was working the entire time.

And perhaps that's one of the most important lessons we can learn from Joseph:

God is working even when we can't see what He is doing.

Whatever you're walking through right now, don't allow your circumstances to become bigger than your view of God.

Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Bring Him your questions. Bring Him your pain. Bring Him your fear. Bring Him the things you don't understand.

And then trust Him.

The thing you're walking through may not make sense today. You may not understand why God has allowed it. But Scripture reminds us that God is able to take what was meant for evil and use it for His good purposes.

We may not always see the whole picture.

But God does.

So keep trusting.

Keep praying.

Keep worshiping.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

He is still working.