Genesis 50:20(NKJV)
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people.
Stumbling Block – An obstacle or hard time that trips you up, stops you, or causes you to stumble.
Stepping Stone – Turning a lesson into a Stepping Stone and using it to succeed or step higher to a purpose.
Joseph’s brother’s sold him into slavery and he eventually ended up in Egypt, where God use him to help many people, including his brothers who meant to hurt him.
Whether the Stumbling Block is being hurt by someone close to you, family member, friend, or relationship, losing a job, financial difficulty, sickness or disease, look for how you can overcome, help others, and step up.
Lessons from Joseph’s life:
1. God’s has a bigger plan
Jeremiah 29:11
God’s plan is never to harm us, but even when we are harmed by others or harm overselves, God’s plan still stands.
When people do bad things to us, many times it is those closest to us.
God can work above human actions and human intentions.
2. God turns evil intentions to great results
God doesn’t send evil, but God can use evil for our good.
God can take the bad things that happen and use them for great results.
3. Purpose in your pain
It may not seem like purpose in pain, but even when bad things seem to happen for no reason, God can use those times as Stepping Stones.
Our pain is oftentimes used to help others later.
4. Seek forgiveness over revenge
When Joseph rose to be in charge, he could have been bitter and sought revenge over forgiveness of his brothers.
God wants us to get better not bitter.
Many of us would not be where we are today if not for some adversity or bad experience.
Even geographically we could be in different places, but events of our lives, many good and some bad got us here.
God will always turn our stumbling blocks to stepping stones if we allow him to.
Joseph did not celebrate his own failures, neither did he celebrate the failures of his brothers.
Joseph realized that God was in control of his life even in his hardships and tribulations.
God specializes in turning Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones.
The I AM Principle 