Blessed to Forget Your Pain

I bless you to be as Manasseh—

“Forgotten troubles,” the name means.

You are not defined by the pain of the past

But by the plans of God.

Though Joseph’s first thirty years were riddled

With sorrow and disappointment,

God’s triumphant, providential plan for him

Eclipsed the adversities of home and Egypt.

God may not plan for you to govern a nation like Joseph,

But He has always intended for you to

“Reign in life through … Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:17)

You can forget what lies behind

And “press on toward the goal of the prize… in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:4)

Yesterday is over,

But the rubble of your past shall not be wasted.

Beloved, you are a Manasseh.

The troubles of the past do not define you—

They refine you.

* * *   

Today’s blessing is inspired by the ancient, mysterious blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48. (Read all about it in my new book, available for pre-order today at Amazon!). Joseph had been through unspeakable persecution and adversity, but God’s favor on Joseph in Egypt made it seem as though he’d never been hurt. That’s why he named his firstborn, “Manasseh”— which sounds like “forgot my troubles.” In Christ, you can live with so much grace today that it’s as if you’d never been hurt. And that’s the Gospel!