Welcome friends
When I started writing these journal posts over 2 years ago
they were just meant to be for me. A time for me to deep think and write
my out my thoughts as I went through my bible studies. Not only does writing help
me to remember what I have learned but also helps with become aware of
selfish desires. My wants, my needs, my desires, myself comes first
I have learned that these selfish desires offer only short-term pleasure
True, lasting joy comes when we take the focus off ourselves and place it on the Lord and others
Change isn’t easy. It takes humility, and a lot of patience from God.
But He’s faithful, and I’m grateful for the journey
As I study of the life of Joseph
one question that the pastor asked that really stirred within my heart was
“How do you respond when someone betray you?”
The Bible is filled with stories of betrayal
Where trust is shattered through deceit, disloyalty, or abandonment
Selling out someone for nothing but selfish gain
often leaving behind deep wounds of heartache
Most of us can recall a time when we were betrayed and if we’re truly honest
at some point, we’ve been the one who betrayed someone else
One clear example of betrayal is the story of Joseph- Genesis 37
His brothers were so filled by jealousy that they
threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery then lied to their father, saying Joseph was dead.
What Joseph’s brothers did to him was nothing but pure evil done out of jealousy
The Bible is also filled with stories of twisted perception of betrayal
an inaccurate understanding of the betrayal
often rooted in misunderstanding and pride
This happens when people feel betrayed when they haven’t been
Such a distorted view leads to broken relationships, misplaced anger, and a struggle to heal
David experienced a twisted perception of betrayal through King Saul.
David was loyal and served King Saul faithfully
After David defeated Goliath, King Saul grew jealous and paranoid
thinking David was trying to steal the throne from him, which was far from the truth
He wrongly saw David as a threat and turned against him, trying to kill him multiple times
Saul felt betrayed when there was no betrayal at all
His perception was twisted by insecurity and pride
People often fall into a cycle of blame—“You betrayed me!” “No, you betrayed me!”
But regardless of who actually betrayed whom
whether it was an act of pure evil or a twisted perception of betrayal
the real question is:
How will you respond?
This is where the Bible becomes our ultimate guide
It holds the answers to life’s hardest questions and teaches us how to live
Joseph is a powerful example
Despite the deep betrayal by his own brothers,
he kept his heart pure, stayed filled with the Holy Spirit, and allowed God to guide his every step
He never gave in to anger, he never sought revenge, he never played the victim.
He trusted in God’s plan with his life, and allowed his pain to transformed him
in strength and spiritual growth
Just as David did also with King Sauls twisted perception of betrayal
Genesis 41:38–39
Pharaoh had everything—wealth, power, women, fame, a kingdom, and a mighty army.
Yet as he looked at Joseph, he said,
“There is something you have that I do not. You have the Spirit of God. There is no one like you.”
What makes a person truly great?
It’s not status, strength, or success
A great person is one who is surrendered to the Holy Spirit, sensitive to His voice,
submitted to His will and strengthened by His power.
This is the true measure of greatness.
Jesus Himself lived this way
Joseph lost everything—his family, his home, his job, even his freedom
But there’s one thing he never lost: his anointing
Because it’s not about what we have
It’s about who has us
Does God cause the evil? No—humans chose to do wrong
Does God allow it? Yes—He permitted it
Can God use it? Absolutely—every wrong, every wound, for His perfect plan
and for His glory
Life is full of tests and trials,
but one of the hardest to pass is the test of betrayal
When you’re betrayed by someone you trusted, loved, or poured yourself into—the real test begins
Will you seek revenge or choose to rise above it?
Will you allow your heart to harden, or will you surrender the pain to God?
God allows these tests and trials to strengthen and refine your character
the real question is:
How will you respond?
During this study of Joseph’s life and all the betrayals he endured
my heart began to stir, and my thoughts went deeper
I shifted the focus to myself and all the times that I have betrayed Jesus
the one who gave everything for me
This question challenged me to take a deeper look inside myself
and my walk with the Lord.
When I am not walking with the Lord, I am submitting to the enemy
There’s no neutral ground
When we betray one another—or even assume betrayal through a twisted perception
and respond with anger or vengeance, we have to ask ourselves:
Whose side are we really on—the Lord’s or the enemy’s?
Romans 12:19-“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath,
for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Vengeance belongs to God
If someone truly wrongs us, God sees it
Our role is to trust Him and stay in our place of humility and spiritual authority
just like Joseph did.
And sometimes, what we think is betrayal, could just a misunderstanding
like with King Saul
one that could be healed through open and honest communication.
So I leave you with these two questions:
How do you respond when someone betrays you?
Do you react with anger, bitterness, or revenge?
Because in our wrong response—we risk betraying the Lord
Are we betraying others… or are we betraying the Lord?
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for all You’ve shown me through the life of Joseph.
This journey has been one of learning humility, grace, and trust.
It hasn’t been easy—but it’s been both challenging and rewarding.
Thank You for Your patience with me, and for guiding me every step of the way.
Amen
I invite you to walk this journey with me
True change starts from within
Let’s open our hearts and allow God to shape us
so we can better impact the world around us
https://echosofmyfootsteps.com
