Faith Over Fearਨਮੂਨਾ

Joseph’s whole world changed in a moment. In an instant and with just a few words, the future he had imagined for himself and Mary suddenly looked a lot less likely. So he made plans he thought were best for everyone: to end their relationship and step away quietly. But a marriage, a child and a future were part of God’s plan for this unsuspecting family, even if Joseph couldn’t see it yet. In a dream, God gave Joseph exactly what he needed: reassurance and the courage to take the next step.

But notice this: Joseph’s obedience didn’t change his circumstances. There were still whispers and awkward silences, doubts and misunderstandings, disagreements and broken relationships. His ‘yes’ didn’t lead him out of discomfort or away from rejection, but it did lead him into a more intimate awareness of the presence of his God. Saying ‘yes’ to God won’t always change our situation or solve our problems, but it will lead us to deeper dependence and draw us closer to the One who sees the whole picture.

Like Joseph, there will be times when our carefully made plans unravel, when we feel misunderstood, when we fear what others will think, when we wrestle with disappointment. In those moments, we may try to search for a solution on our own, to find a way out that feels safe or sensible. Yet it is often in this tension between fear and faith, between control and surrender, that God invites us to trust him more.

Joseph’s story reminds us that we don’t obey because the path is easy. We obey because this promise is true; a promise that sounds louder than any fear and is steadier than any uncertainty:

God is with us.

Is God asking you to trust him with something that feels costly right now? What would it look like to take the next step in faith today?

God, I am so grateful for your promised presence in my life. When saying ‘yes’ to you costs me something, remind me that you are worth everything. Help me to trust you, even when the path is unclear, and to find peace, not in outcomes but in your presence. Amen.