Matthew 1:20
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Joseph had a problem. He was supposed to be getting married, but the woman who was to be his wife was already found to be pregnant. He couldn’t possibly marry her now, but he seemed like a practical and reasonable man. He didn’t want to humiliate Mary while trying to do the right thing. Surely this situation was a burden on his mind and on his heart. Surely he wrestled with making the right decision and finding the right way to go about it. But as he thought through his situation and the circumstances surrounding it, God sent him an answer.

God’s Spirit traces our thoughts and follows them down the winding path they often take, pulling our minds toward God. Too often our minds struggle through things, trying to find the best solution based on our own knowledge and experience. But there is a better lens through which we can examine our circumstances, the things we’re pondering through and trying to figure out. Because when we look at things through God’s perspective and with His guidance, often we find ourselves taking a completely different path.

Joseph was ready to end his relationship with Mary but instead became her husband, the earthly father of Jesus, and seemed to be the dependable caretaker God needed for His Son in those early years. Sometimes what seems to us like a problem or a mistake is actually God working out something much bigger than we could ever comprehend. When Joseph heard from the Lord, he was willing to trust God and be obedient to Him. And in return, though he faced trials because of it, he was truly a blessed man.

Let’s work out our worries before God, wait for His answer, and trust in His words. When problems and situations weigh heavily on our hearts and minds, let’s seek God in the midst of those questions. Let’s not take hasty action based only upon our limited view of a situation, but instead trust God’s wide vision to lead us to the proper path. It may just be that God is preparing us to be used in some way much more wonderful than we could have ever imagined.