It Was For Our Good

This month is recognized as Black History Month here in this country. We give God praise for the rich history for which God has blessed African-Americans in the development and progress of this nation. 

One of the sore spots for the history of America, and African-Americans in particular, was the institution of slavery. The degradation, the despair and the blatant disregard for human dignity was beyond reproach in regards to the witness of this nation. However, the question is, "How have African-Americans chosen to process this?"

Often when the issue of slavery in America comes up, Blacks (African-Americans) take deep offense to the dynamics of this brutality (as well we should). But the question that needs to be raised is, "What was God's divine purpose in allowing an entire group of people to endure this type of unmerited suffering?" There's a choice that African-Americans have to make as we progress through the 21st century; are we going to still be "mad at the white man" for the abuse our foreparents endured or are we going to forgive and seek to fulfill God's Divine Destiny in bringing us to this country?

In Genesis chapter 50, Joseph responds to his brothers (who sold him into slavery when he was a teenager) after the death of their father. The brothers thought that Joseph was going to be angry with them and seek revenge. But Joseph said to them, "Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good." It's time for Black America to forgive. We need to forgive America for slavery. We need to forgive America for Jim Crow. We need to forgive America for discrimination.  We need to forgive America for all of the injustices that we have endured as a people in this nation. The word, "forgive," literally means to release a debt. Which means, when you have truly forgiven nobody owes you anything.

As we celebrate African-American History Month, let us forsake the idea that "somebody owes us something." Let us release any lingering bitterness or hatred, even for recent events that have transpired over the last several months. Let us make a collective declaration and affirm, "You may have meant it for evil; but the God we serve meant it for good!" Let us pursue and fulfill our Divine Destiny in this nation with the faith that even slavery was for our good! (Romans 8:28).