Forgiving What You Can’t Forget Online Bible Study Week Four — There's Always a Meanwhile

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. — Joseph, Genesis 50:20

Forgiveness is the perfect start to our healing. It shouldn’t be our last resort. ~Lysa

Hi, friends! It’s kind of amazing that it took us this long (week four!) to get to family troubles, isn’t it?! Family disfunction and family pain is practically hereditary – it’s been around since Cain and Abel!. There are complications, rivalries, personality conflicts, , cliques, and hurt feelings that can run deep and long. If you’re living and breathing, there are probably problems in your family.

Unattended hurt within the human heart can often turn to hate. ~ Lysa

This week Lysa is diving into the story of Joseph in Genesis and what we see in his story, can also been seen in mine, and I bet yours, too. People have the ability to act in ways that change the entire trajectory of our lives. Not everything is under our own control. Others have the power to abuse and misuse us. Life can change in an instant and we can feel so upended, so shocked, grieved, angry, and alone.

But, God!

God is still in control. He has always known exactly what will happen. He is the Master weaver. He can turn anything around from the very worst of circumstances when we obey Him in our situation.

What may seem like things going from bad to worse, is oftentimes God’s preparing us for our future.

God always intends what He allows for our good. Always. He knows what we don’t know!

The physical reality is not the full story. ~ Lysa

It’s the in the meantime season that is so very hard…

I know how long two full years is and part of what makes it so hard when we’re in really difficult situations, we live that our very daily and every day is hard. And sometimes it’s really easy to lose footing in our own story because when it lasts a long time, we start to feel like it’s more and more unfair and we can start to wonder, “Where are You, God? Are You even doing anything to help me?” ~ Lysa

Trusting God through the length and breadth of life takes steely grit … but also it takes looking back at God’s Word and others’ lives to see how He is trustworthy. He is good. He is loving. He is kind. He is powerful. He is present in our sufferings. And He is working in us to forge profound and holy forgiveness in us even through the most painful seasons.

Forgiveness is the perfect start to our healing. It shouldn’t be our last resort. ~Lysa

If we don’t start with forgiveness, we might not ever get there. I know this is true for me. If I hadn’t chosen forgiveness from the beginning of a season of attack, I don’t know that I would have been survive because my hurt was too big. I didn’t see God’s work in the meantime.

We do not serve a do-nothing God. God’s hand of faithfulness and goodness was there even when Joseph couldn’t understand it. ~ Lysa

The same is true for us. We don’t see what’s going on in the spirit realm. We don’t know the whole story. God does. His plans are for our good. What He allows in our life, even those things that are so terribly devastating, have good reasons.

The meanwhile might feel so punishing to us, but God is shaping us and honing us for something we cannot even imagine. He can use anything and everything for our good. It doesn’t mean that everything that happens to us is good, but He can and will use it for good!

Trust Him in the meanwhile. I’m right there with you.

Week Four Statement:

With God, there’s always a meanwhile.

This week in your study:

1. Then, watch the video for session three of Forgiving What You Can’t Forget on our study home and take notes in your study guide on pages 90-98 and stick around to go through the questions afterward!
2. Grab your Bible and enjoy your personal study this week on pages 99-117.
3. Join the conversations about this week’s teaching and get to know our community in our private Facebook group.

Scriptures this Week

Genesis 50:20
Genesis 37:2-8
Genesis 37:11-16
Genesis 37:18
Genesis 37:36
Genesis 39:1
Genesis 39:6-7
Genesis 40:14-15
Genesis 41:1
Genesis 41:14
Genesis 41:39-40

Prayer for the Week

Jesus, we love You! Thank You for being with us in the meantime even when we don’t always sense Your presence. We choose to believe that You are moving in ways we cannot see and that You know what we do not know. Help us to obey You and follow You when we’re dealing with suffering in family troubles and quarrels. Help us to forgive what seems unforgivable. Keep us humble and sweet with one another. We need You, Holy Spirit. We love You. Amen.