One Bible character who can really teach us on how to overcome unfair treatment and affliction is Joseph.  He suffered much at the hands of his brothers: ridicule, not believing in his dreams and supporting him, and treating him as if he didn’t matter; if they got rid of him then all of their problems will be solved (the enemy fails to realize that  you are not the one who is the problem).

Eventually their hatred caused them to do the unthinkable and cast him away as if he wasn’t a member of the family by selling him into slavery.  Have you ever been unsupported and tossed aside as if you didn’t matter?  Yeah, me too.  The sting of their betrayal was with Joseph as his new life began as a slave in Egypt.  Torn from all that he knew he was ushered into a world of unknowing.  What would life be like for him now?

Though in his land of affliction he found favor, he also was lied on and mistreated, adding salt to the open wounds he already suffered at the hand of his own family.  How much more was one man to put up with?

In prison, alone and yet willing to still help others, he was once again forgotten and left to deal with life on his own.  The awesome thing about his story, as many of us know, Joseph was not alone.  God had a great plan for his life.  Many of us are familiar with how God elevated Joseph out of his affliction and blessed him with a position of great honor in the palace.  Eventually, becoming governor over all Egypt where everyone bowed to him except Pharaoh.  What a change of position!

Joseph, after coming to power married and had two sons: “And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manaseeh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.  And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction,” Genesis 41:51-52. 

I don’t know about you, but stepping into 2015 and crossing the threshold of a New Year there are some things from 2014 I want to forget about.  I am ready to move on into the new and since we are now in the new, I want to be fruitful!

With this New Year God has opened up a world of opportunity for us to forget the past and move on into something greater.  We may not be governor of Egypt, but I don’t believe God has allowed us to see this New Year for nothing.  I believe that we were designed to be fruitful!

Fruitfulness is a desire of God for His people: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper,” Psalm 1:3, KJV.  I’m declaring 2015 as the season to move on and be fruitful.  I want to produce a great harvest of good things in this brand New Year we have been given!  I want to be abundant right where God has me planted!

Don’t carry the negatives of 2014 into 2015; they don’t belong here.  We have been afforded this great gift of a new start so let’s take advantage of it and work what God has given us to “Forget, and Be Fruitful!”  Joseph taught us a simple, yet powerful lesson.  Let’s grab hold of it and step into what God has for us.

Be blessed in 2015!!!!