Joseph in Egypt and forgive now

Joseph is a good person to look at during Easter time. Why in the world would that be might you ask? He's an amazing type of Christ for us to study, in more ways than just one. I really like this layout of scriptural connections between Joseph of Egypt and the Savior straight from the lds Old Testament Student Manual. Cross reference and check them out if you haven't done this before, or in a long time. It really helps me see how ALL things testify of Christ.

1. Joseph was the favored son of his father; so was Jesus (see Genesis 37:3 ; Matthew 3:17 ).

2. Joseph was rejected by his brothers, the Israelites, as was Jesus (see Genesis 37:4 ; John 1:11 ; Isaiah 53:3 ; 1 Nephi 19:13–14 ).

3. Joseph was sold by his brothers into the hands of the Gentiles, just as Jesus was (see Genesis 37:25–27 ; Matthew 20:19 ).

4. Judah, the head of the tribe of Judah, proposed the sale of Joseph. Certain leaders of the Jews in Jesus’ day turned Jesus over to the Romans. Judas (the Greek spelling of Judah ) was the one who actually sold Jesus. (See Genesis 37:26 ; Matthew 27:3 .) Although Judah later offered his life in return for Benjamin's- showing some of his change of heart.

5. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, the price of a slave his age. Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave His age. (See Genesis 37:28 ; Matthew 27:3 ; Exodus 21:32 ; Leviticus 27:5 .)

6. In their very attempt to destroy Joseph, his brothers actually set up the conditions that would bring about their eventual temporal salvation—that is, Joseph, by virtue of being sold, would become their deliverer. Jesus, by His being given into the hands of the Gentiles, was crucified and completed the atoning sacrifice, becoming the Deliverer for all mankind.

7. Joseph began his mission of preparing salvation for Israel at age thirty, just as Jesus began His ministry of preparing salvation for the world at age thirty (see Genesis 41:46 ; Luke 3:23 ).

8. When Joseph was finally raised to his exalted position in Egypt, all bowed the knee to him. All will eventually bow the knee to Jesus. (See Genesis 41:43 ; D&C 88:104 .)

9. Joseph provided bread for Israel and saved them from death, all without cost. Jesus, the Bread of Life, did the same for all men. (See Genesis 42:35 ; John 6:48–57 ; 2 Nephi 9:50 .)

Now all of these things are great, but one great principle I see here in Joseph as well as the Savior is forgiveness.

Joseph had some pretty hard things happen to him.

His brothers all hated him. (well, besides Benjamin.) They actually wanted to kill him, but decided to sell him as a slave instead. He works hard in a new country/land with no one around that he even knows, and gets thrown into prison back down at the bottom for something he didn't even do. And for standing up to unrighteousness and sin. Then he's there a few years, works his way back up, helps interpret some dreams and probably thinks, great those people can now help me get out of this place, when again they forget about him again, and he hangs out there longer.

This isn't a story of a few months hardship or even one or two years. This was over 13 years of being a slave and in prison for much of that before he became second in command to Pharaoh.
That's half of my lifetime. That's a long time.

Where are you like Joseph? Where are you hated or put in bondage by people close to you? Where have you helped someone and asked for help in return and was forgotten about? Where have you actually done the right thing and gotten in worse trouble or so it seemed than if you had just done the wrong thing?

Could Joseph have become bitter and angry from his life? Yes he easily could have said, well my life is harder than most. Check- Joseph's life is definitely harder than my life has been. Just like I know some that are bitter and angry because they were put in an abusive home. Some that have been denied or lost jobs over standing up for what they believed in. Others that have gotten taken advantage of because of a gift they shared that was not returned when they were truly in need.

But Joseph chose the better path. He chose to let God take charge, even at those SEVERAL low points in his life that could have turned him the other way. He chose to forgive his brothers for selling him as a slave and Potipher and his wife when he was thrown into prison. The butler when he forgot to try and help him after he interpreted his dream. And he was probably above this, but he even forgave God for having him go through such hard experiences. Maybe it was that he didn't blame God, or ask how God could do this to him when he had done no wrong, or was trying to do so much good.

Forgive Now

We had a talk given on Sunday that spoke on forgiveness and the speaker instituted a concept in his family called Forgive Now. It's a pretty simple concept. When someone hurts or offends you your choice is to dwell on that and forgive them later, dwell on it and never forgive them, or just forgive immediately meaning as soon as it happens. They talked with their family and decided that things are going to happen that will upset us. We're not perfect or where we can be that others' imperfect actions don't bother us yet, so we can't just say we'll never get upset. That doesn't work out so well. But we can choose to forgive as soon as we feel that upsetness rise in our chest.

I have been working on that this week, and it is amazing how much more free you feel when you can let things go immediately. I have to say I am pretty good at this with little kids. Working with them so much I have learned how to love and forgive children very easily. Adults however I don't do as well with this concept.

That's also why this concept is so great to review at Easter Time.

The Savior obviously loved those that hurt him, and eventually killed him. He didn't falter when spit or slapped in the face or had a crown of thorns placed on his head, even when he remembered he had just suffered for those very sins in the garden of gethsemane. He never stumbled in his mission even at the end while suffering on the cross saying to our Father "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) Knowing how much our Heavenly Father loved his only Begotten Son, and how much any father would want justice for someone mocking/torturing/killing their son, Jesus remind the Father that he understood his mission and that the atonement was necessary, and they had no idea what they were doing. Again always our advocate with the Father.

We cannot forgive or apply any of this lesson without the atonement. The Savior is the one that will wipe away our tears and pain from injustice and bondage. The Savior is the one that can right our heart again to someone that has hurt us deeply, and not let that bond weigh us down anymore in our life. Truly I don't understand how the atonement works, but I do know I have felt it's power, and the resulting freedom that comes from doing all I can and then letting him cover the rest. Peace. That is the residual blessing that comes from repentance through the atonement.

So this week. Do as Joseph, and forgive now. Know that God has greater things in store for you than you can even imagine, and if you put your trust in him, he will put you where you can do the most good, and become most like him.