Forgiveness – a Journey

Today’s reflection deals with forgiveness, something talked a lot about more than is done. This is in part because it is not so easy if we will admit it. Joseph worked through the matter of forgiveness of his brothers. He came to realise that God was up to something of more importance than the impact of his brother’s hatred towards him. What they meant for harm God meant for good. This is a remarkable conclusion and one with profound insight into the promise of God – that Abraham’s descendants would inherit the land and be a blessing to the world. Joseph saw his part in this drama; he saw that his time in Egypt had a purpose larger than any resentment and his own comfort.

It is unlikely Joseph arrived at this conclusion overnight; it may have taken years to settle. When he saw his brothers, he was overcome with emotion, even more so when he met his blood brother, Benjamin. This is not the response of a bitter, unforgiving person, even if he had the right to hold this against them. Joseph could forgive because he saw beyond his comfort, beyond the brother’s rejection of and hatred towards him. He saw God.

Forgiveness is not a cheap exercise. On the contrary, it is holy and beautiful. It will take all our resources and beyond (the space for the Holy Spirit), as we can only truly forgive because we have been forgiven. Our necessity of forgiving others is because God has forgiven us all our sins, and our sin amounts to a far greater debt than anyone could possibly owe us.[1] We have sinned against God’s majesty and holiness and been forgiven in the person of Jesus – God incarnate. Only God can forgive this debt, as it is a debt primarily, if not wholly, against him. In his own way Joseph by forgiving his brothers saw some of this because he saw a bigger picture, a sovereign deliverance for God’s people of promise – one that wasn’t focused on him. How refreshing and how releasing, to not be self-focused/oriented.

Forgiveness, as with Joseph, is a journey, an important journey, but a journey, nonetheless. It takes time to work through and see beyond ourselves. When we do it is often a good day for others.

[1]The statement Jospeh made concerning what his brothers intended for evil, God intended for good, is not necessarily true in all circumstances as it was a particular occasion and response he is referring to. Our danger is to theologically extrapolate such statements as though they apply to all circumstances so that where evil was intended God meant it for good – which is not necessarily the case. Our take home is that he learned to forgive, and our forgiving is premised on the cross of Jesus – through which God forgave our sins. Therefore, we both can and must forgive others their sins against us, because God has forgiven us a debt we could never repay. Failure to do so is covered in Matthew 18.21-35. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.