You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (Genesis 50:20 NLT)

Joseph had every reason to be angry and bitter at the world. His brothers picked on him, tricked him, and sold him into slavery. He was taken to Egypt where he was eventually imprisoned for something he didn’t even do. It would have been easy for Joseph to call life unfair and give up. But God gifted him the ability to interpret dreams, and Joseph used that gift to help himself and help others. He was raised up as a leader in Egypt and he saved many lives from famine—including the lives of his brothers.

Practically speaking, we want our kids to use their giftings to help themselves: to excel in school, relationships, sports, music, jobs, etc. We know that when our kids lean into how God made them, they will thrive. But we also want them to use those gifts to expand God’s kingdom and help others. Joseph’s brothers meant to harm him, but they couldn’t outdo what God had planned: God planned to use Joseph for good.

God made each of us, including our kids, perfectly and wonderfully with spiritual gifts to use for a good purpose. When we see those giftings in our kids, we have the privilege of encouraging them and building them up! Helping our kids discover and use their spiritual gifts well will help them see the bigger picture of how they fit into God’s kingdom.

This week, let’s pray that our kids use the gifts that God has given them for the purpose he calls them to.

Jesus, help us to see the spiritual gifts you have given __________ and build them up in those giftings. As they grow up, I pray they use their gifts to help others, help themselves, and bless you. Remind them that you use every circumstance for good, and mercy and goodness are the right choice, even when it’s hard to see. Amen.

If you love this episode and don’t have your copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses yet, it’s not too late to get yours! Go ChristianParenting.org to get your copy and follow along. And don’t forget to tune in to Pardon the Mess every Monday for more prayer episodes. 

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