Faith in tough circumstances

I've read through the book of Genesis and really want to highlight Joseph's story.

If you don't know Joseph's story, here it is in a nutshell: Joseph's father really loved him and God also favored him, and that made his brothers really jealous. So, his brothers made a plan to kill him. One of the brothers convinced the rest not to kill him, so they decided to sell him into slavery instead. Joseph was a highly favored servant and was given much authority. Unfortunately, he was wrongly accused of making a pass at the master's wife and thrown in prison. "But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Genesis 39:21 HCSB)" He actually put Joseph in a leadership position amongst the prisoners which eventually got him enough attention to be called upon by Pharaoh to help interpret a dream. Joseph completes Pharaoh's request and was let out of prison to be Pharaoh's right hand man. Pharaoh said, "You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you." Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "See, I am placing you over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:40, 41 HCSB)
So Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and wrongly imprisoned. All of these things happened over decades. Not what most would consider a 'blessed life'- but Joseph sure did. He stayed close to God the whole time and gave all glory to God for all the good he was able to do. God used every circumstance Joseph was in to mold him into the leader he eventually needed to be for the people of Egypt. In his place of position over Egypt, he was able to organize and help them save during the good times so that they could survive during the bad times. It was during the bad time when Joseph was reunited with his brothers. The brothers came to Egypt to look for food and Joseph recognized them. After a while, Joseph's father came to Egypt and Joseph revealed who he was. Joseph invited his father and his whole entire family and their families to settle in Egypt. Fast forward several years - Joseph's father grew old and died. The brothers are immediately fearful because they still remember what they did to Joseph: "When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, "If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him." But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result-the survival of many people. (Genesis 50:15, 19, 20 HCSB)

Thank God for His plan! Joseph could have been so upset with his brothers. They tore him away from his family and sold him like a farm animal. But he knew that it wasn't his brothers who put him where he ended up - it was God's plan all along. How could he be mad at his brothers now?

God is so big and can use decades of our lives to get us to where we need to be. So if you believe God has a plan for you and that you are living out that plan then there is no point in harboring negative feelings toward anyone or anything that made the path uncomfortable because all that you've been through is for a mighty purpose.