[The following devotional is a part of our 2014 Advent Devotional Guide. We will be posting a devotional each day on this blog between November 30 – December 31, 2014.]
Best (Not Necessarily Easy) by Mark Robinson
Read: Matthew 1:18-25
Sometimes God’s plan for our lives is not easy or comfortable. God wants us to tell the truth, even if telling the truth could get us in trouble. God wants us to talk to our friends and neighbors about Jesus, even if our friends and neighbors might make fun of us if we do. God wants us to obey our parents, even if doing so will mean that we will not get something that we want.
Though God’s plan for our lives is not always EASY, it is always BEST. God knows what is best for us at all times and we can trust and obey Him, even when doing so seems hard. A great example of this is the story of Joseph in Matthew 1:18-25. It would have been easy for Joseph to walk away from Mary when he found out she was pregnant. His friends and family would have supported him if he had decided to leave Mary because of her scandalous pregnancy. Yet God persuaded Joseph through an angel to not leave Mary and to remain with her. Because Joseph obeyed, he ended up getting to be the earthly Father of Jesus Christ! What an amazing blessing. Though it was not easy, it was best.
Questions
- Is there any thing God wants you to do right now that is hard or uncomfortable?
- Is it difficult for you to remember that God’s plans are always best for us? Why or why not?
Advent Prayer
- Pray and ask God for the strength and courage to trust Him even when it is hard to do so.