“He comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:21 NKJV

If you have read the story of Joseph, you realize he had every reason to be angry, bitter, and vindictive for the despicable way his brothers treated him. But what did he do? He didn’t get enraged and he didn’t even get even. He helped Egypt, the land that enslaved and falsely imprisoned him, to survive famine. He fed his family when they came begging for food. He forgave, and in doing so, he was freed from his negative emotions. He resolved the issues of the past, did not allow them to deter his destiny, and stayed in the favour of God. As second-in-command in Egypt, Joseph held the power of life and death over those who had hurt him. Yet he told them, “Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (vv. 20-21 NKJV). We all have emotional reactions in our relationships; the problem isn’t the anger or the disappointment—unless you are controlled by your emotions. Anytime anger causes you to damage the things God has given you charge over, your emotions are being mismanaged. You give territory to the devil when you fail to manage your anger. “‘Don’t sin by letting anger control you.’ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT). So the word for you today is—learn to manage your emotions.

The Word for You Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from Celebration Enterprises, Inc. Copyright © 2024