Featured Image:
Young Joseph arrives in Egypt to a life of servitude.
Article Quote Sources:
https://www.beselffull.com/blog/what-it-means-to-do-the-work-and-the-healing-journey
Jessica Baum, LMHC counselor speaks truth to encourage us on our journeys of healing. I share selected quotes and insights from the source above to encourage personal reflection, discussion, and growth. Emphasis of portions of quote is mine. Scripture passages from Berean Standard Bible https://www.biblehub.com/bsb. This is post 1 of a series of 2.
Commentary Quotes:
Healing is a Journey
Jessica explains
“It’s not a linear process with a checkbox and a straight progression. It’s a natural unfolding of learning to be with our inner world in a new way—forming a new relationship with all our parts and experiences. And from that, develop deep and profound compassion for ourselves.”
Healing is a journey–not a one time decision or 5 step plan! Healing requires deep and hard work that leads us to examine our past, present, and future.
We can see this in God’s Word: Joseph’s journey of life. The narrative begins with God sending Joseph a dream in which his father and brother “bow” before him. Discussing this dream sets in motion his cruel betrayal. I discuss Joseph and Job in this earlier post:
https://wordsofencouragementinchrist.com/2022/08/15/dealing-with-adversity/
Genesis 37:18-20
18Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him. 19“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. 20“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
Joseph suffers familial betrayal. In Genesis 39, Potiphar’s wife slanders his reputation, falsely accusing him of violating her. Joseph suffers for living with integrity and honoring Potiphar. He is put into prison and forgotten. Even after he interprets dreams for the Cupbearer and Baker, he is forgotten for years Genesis 40:23
Facing His brothers
Joseph weeps privately in Genesis 43:30 after seeing Benjamin. Later in Chapter 45 he reveals himself after testing his brothers.
Joseph Reveals His Identity
1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!”
So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it.
3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”
But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.
4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so.
“I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt!
Joseph invites his brothers to reconciliation. Joseph doesn’t avoid his past or what happened to him. He presents his “authentic” self and his brothers tremble when they realize his identity and authority.
Healing is . . .
“Doing the work” is actually facing parts of us that we have been avoiding (for good reason) because they are too hard or painful to bear.
These are the deep parts of ourselves that stay hidden until we find the courage to seek support and heal.
And healing doesn’t mean “fixing” or getting rid of those feelings. Instead, it’s holding and allowing others to create space and support us while we process them.
Jessica Baum
Healing requires that we look inward. We face the “parts” of ourselves that need restoration. Denial, avoidance, blame shifting are self defense mechanisms. Most of our deep hurts started in childhood and we are still living these past hurts. Joseph had to accept being betrayed and maliciously slandered.
The past needs to be illuminated and brought into the light of truth and restoration. Journal writing, working with a mental health professional, and seeking community are crucial to this process. Reading and reflecting are valuable tools to gain insight.
Dan. B. Allender and Cathy Lorezel’s Redeeming Heartache is a good resource for your journey of healing and growth.
Invitation to Restoration
He engages his brothers with grace again in Genesis 50.
Joseph Comforts His Brothers
15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.”
16So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, 17‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.”
When their message came to him, Joseph wept. 18His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
19But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. 21Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.
They (brothers) use their late father’s name to ask for forgiveness. Joseph reassures them of his forgiveness. He realizes that he isn’t in the place of God. The place of God refers to the role of God in justice and judgment. David Guzik explains:
“a. Am I in the place of God? Joseph could truthfully assure his brothers, first because he understood that he was not in the place of God. It wasn’t his job to bring retribution upon his brothers. If the Lord chose to punish them, He would have to find an instrument other than Joseph.
i. From a human perspective, Joseph had the right and the ability to bring retribution upon his brothers, but he knew God was God and he was not. Such retribution was God’s place, not Joseph’s.”
Source: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/genesis-50/
God’s presence and truth shines into our lives as we walk and grow in faith.
This discussion continues in Post 2 of this collection:
Words of Grace & Hope 
Amazing how Hod works in the storms of life!
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