Lesson 26: God's Sovereignty Produces a Powerful Testimony

Genesis 50:15-21 - "When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 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. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."

After having his brothers try to kill him, and over many years of suffering, Joseph learned one of the most powerful lessons in life: God will use even the pain other people cause us and turn it around for our highest good. Joseph testified to this truth, and his words became a powerful testimony, even to this day. These verses are very encouraging. God allows painful circumstances so that we too can testify to the Lord's goodness. We may love to hear about other people's testimonies, but we do not want to become one ourselves. We miss out on being a powerful source of encouragement to others.

God allows difficulties into our lives from which we learn that we can either pout because of our pain or we can be patient and wait for God to produce a powerful testimony.


On one trip my wife and I had agreed to meet fellow employees at a set time and place the next morning. When we arrived, we waited and waited until we realized they had tricked us. We were now alone in a strange city, hurrying to the airport because our flight was leaving shortly. We made it to the airport only to discover my wife and I would be sitting in different rows. We asked for seats together anywhere on the plane and were seated in the back. Across from me was a man reading Hebrew. In talking with him, we discovered he was a Christian and we talked about the Lord for the next couple of hours. During our conversation he repeatedly challenged me to go back to school and finish my graduate studies. About three months later I resigned from my job and took a little over a year to complete my studies. Then the opportunity came to take another Pastorate, which led to the development of an internet media teaching ministry. This all led to the formation of a global teaching ministry called ‘Get A Life Ministries’ which now reaches over 200 countries. God is using it to bless and/or save people all over the world! Why? All because we were ditched at an airport.

God shows us a powerful truth, that just as every pearl begins as a pain in the oyster’s stomach, so the pain you may be experiencing today really is going to turn out to be a priceless treasure in the form of a powerful testimony. Our difficult circumstances serve as an opportunity to create a powerful testimony that becomes a powerful source of encouragement to those around us. It is all because God is Sovereign.

* What testimony has God given you that began from pain?