Does God use our failures for our good?

¹⁴Joseph returned into Egypt—he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.

¹⁵When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all of the evil which we did to him.”

¹⁶They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying,

¹⁷‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

¹⁸His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

¹⁹Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God?

²⁰As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.

²¹Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will nourish you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.

¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.

¹⁹For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

²⁰For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

²¹that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

²²For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.

²³Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.

²⁴For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?

²⁵But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.

²⁶In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.

²⁷He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.

²⁸We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

²⁹For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

³⁰Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

¹It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

²I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

³I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows),

⁴how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

⁵On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

⁶For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

⁷By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

⁸Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

⁹He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

²⁴There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be greatest.

²⁵He said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’

²⁶But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.

²⁷For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am in your midst as one who serves.

²⁸But you are those who have continued with me in my trials.

²⁹I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me,

³⁰that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

³¹The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat,

³²but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn’t fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers.”

³³He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

³⁴He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know me three times.”

¹²Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;

¹³so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ;

¹⁴and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

¹⁵Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

¹⁶The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

¹⁷but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

¹⁸What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

¹⁹For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

²⁰according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.