Introduction: The Feeling of Being Blindsided
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you never expected to find yourself? Have you ever found yourself facing a dilemma that caught you completely off guard? These moments—when our carefully laid plans and deepest hopes collide with a reality we never anticipated—are a universal part of the human experience. It could be the heartbreak of a failed relationship, the frustration of an uncompleted degree, or the shock of a sudden job loss.
The biblical figure of Joseph is a paradigm for all of us who have ever expected one thing but experienced something else. He was a righteous man, engaged to be married to Mary. His life was moving according to plan until, in an instant, his world was turned upside down. He discovered his fiancée was pregnant, and from his perspective, this was a SCANDAL. In his culture, an engagement was legally binding; infidelity during this period was considered adultery, a crime punishable by death. Joseph was caught between the letter of the law and the woman he loved.
His story forces us to ask a question that echoes through our own lives: What can we learn about God in those moments when our expectations and our experiences don’t match?
Takeaway 1: Your Disruption Might Be a Display of Divine Power
The Unexpected Can Be a Stage for the Impossible.
Joseph found himself in a profound bind. As a “righteous man” who lived by the law, his options were stark: public disgrace and death for Mary, or divorce. He came to a place of resignation and resolve, deciding to take the merciful path and divorce her quietly. He was trying to figure out an exit strategy, a way to get out from under the situation and still save face.
But after he had considered this, God intervened. This is the divine conjunction, the moment where human reasoning gives way to heavenly revelation. An angel appeared to Joseph with a message that defied all earthly logic: “Do not be afraid,” the angel said, explaining that the child conceived in Mary was from the “Holy Spirit.”
In this context, the “Holy Spirit” was a direct reference to God’s immense “creative power.” The message was simple but world-altering: God can do the unexpected and the unimaginable. You may think the final words have been spoken over your situation, but God still has a message. What looked to Joseph like a betrayal was actually a demonstration of divine power. When our expectations are not met, it might not be a sign of failure, but an invitation to see that God can do what no other power is able to do.
Our experiences don’t diminish GODS ableness. Even when my expectations are not met, GOD is still able.
Takeaway 2: Your Detour Might Reveal Your True Purpose
A Change of Plans Can Reveal a Deeper Purpose.
In the middle of his personal crisis, Joseph discovered that God was revealing a purpose for his life far greater than any plan he could have made for himself. The angel’s instructions went beyond simply explaining the situation; they gave Joseph a crucial role to play in God’s redemptive story.
The angel commanded him, “you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Joseph’s act of naming the child was significant for two key reasons. First, it signified his legal adoption of Jesus, which officially made Jesus a “descendant of David” and fulfilled a core prophecy. Second, in that culture, a name spoke directly to a child’s “nature” and “destiny.” The name Jesus established His purpose from the very beginning: He came to save. There is peace in that name, joy in that name, and ultimate power in that name.
Sometimes, God has to move us into a new, often uncomfortable, position so we can live out the true purpose for which we were created. As Bishop Rudolph McKissick would say, “GOD has providentially planted us on the planet for a purpose.” Joseph’s detour was the very path to his life’s ultimate meaning.
Takeaway 3: Your Experience Doesn’t Cancel God’s Promises
Your Present Pain Doesn’t Invalidate God’s Promises.
Perhaps the most comforting lesson from Joseph’s story is this: “Our experiences don’t cancel the promises of GOD.” To reinforce this truth, the narrative points to the ancient words of the prophet Isaiah, stating that “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel.'”
The name Immanuel is defined for us in the text: “(which means ‘God with us’).” This promise was first given to King Ahaz in a time of great fear and uncertainty. Isaiah’s message was one of comfort, assuring the king that even though the “present looked dark and bleak,” God was with his people and held their future securely.
That same promise extends to us. The name “Immanuel” is a promise of God’s “divine presence no matter what we experience.” It is a reminder that in every season, through every unexpected turn, we are not alone. Depressed…He is still with us. Despairing…He is still with us. Hopeless…He is still with us. They walked out—GOD is still with us.
GOD IS WITH US; no matter what twist and turns life may take, GOD IS WITH US!
Conclusion: The Unfailing Presence
So, when life turns upside down, the story of Joseph offers three foundational truths to hold onto. In moments of unexpected disruption, we can find evidence of God’s impossible power, the unveiling of a deeper purpose for our lives, and the reassurance of an unwavering promise.
Ultimately, all three truths point to the profound comfort of “Immanuel”—God with us. This divine presence is the anchor for our souls when the distance between our expectations and our experiences feels impossibly wide.
How might the unexpected situations in your own life look different if you saw them not as interruptions, but as invitations to experience the power, purpose, and presence of God?
Paul D. Flowers, Sr. 