A lot can happen in twenty-two years. A lot of dreams and vision can happen; conversely, a lot of dream and vision death can also occur.
Processing takes time. I’ve said it before, but it needs repeating. Processing takes time.
It took me many months for me to forgive an individual who hurt me deeply, and that was after I was trying and working to do so. Years later with plenty of new opportunities, I think I’m doing better. Forgiveness flows much easier. There are a lot of personal checks and balances that get applied along the way. It takes more than a weekend meeting or Saturday training course. Application or processing takes time.
When you are hurt, and it goes deep, you think and dream of what it will look like to be vindicated, but as time grinds on, you begin to lose your fleshly inertia; it gets processed out of you if you so desire.
We don’t know how often Joseph thought of his dreams, or of his vindication, if at all. We just know he was vindicated and could have bitterly judged.
There was no bitterness. No malice. No ill will.
Joseph authenticated what and who was before him, he revealed, he healed, and he restored.
The brothers, self-examined, repented and humbly accepted their new normal.
What a great combination.
Restoration, true to the heart, relational restoration, can only happen when both parties own their own stuff and, not until they do.
Great combos are waiting to flourish.
Are you ready to do your part?
That’s all that matters.
He did seem to get to mess with them a bit. It wasn’t totally forgive and forget.
Oh, I’m sure there was ‘brotherliness’ at play.