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Previous Daily Devotional
About mighty faith in times of conflict…
Matthew 1:20 But after he had considered this…(NIV)
We do not know the circumstances about how Joseph was
informed that Mary was expecting a child. Most likely, Mary personally told Joseph about
the event of the Immaculate Conception. Since Joseph was as human as you and I, Joseph was
probably disbelieving. However, look at the words, "after he had considered
this." These words mean Joseph was thinking. No doubt Joseph was in great anguish
when he learned Mary was expecting a baby out of wedlock. However, the words "after
he had considered this" indicate Joseph's faith in God was alive and God was speaking
to Joseph's heart, for Joseph had great faith in God. In addition, Joseph's conscience, as
a man of God, was hurting him because Mary was expecting a child out of wedlock and Joseph
was righteous. Also, Joseph's love for Mary was giving Joseph real heartbreak. No doubt,
Joseph was confused, he was in tremendous emotional turmoil, and he was in great inner
conflict over the news Mary was expecting a child. In the middle of Joseph's inner
conflict we know Joseph was righteous and loved God. As a result, Joseph's righteousness
and his love for God caused turmoil, doubt, and inner conflict within Joseph's life. When
you love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might, you will have a big
conscience and your conscience may hurt you, as God designed your conscience to do. When
you love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might, you may have a big
heart, and you may have conflicts of soul within you heart, as God designed your heart to
do. It is from these conflicts of soul, like the ones Joseph had, that can produce great
decisions and great works for God. Remarkably for us, God can sometimes best work through
us and speak to us when we are sensitive to Him in these times of inner conflict. When we
are sensitive to His laws of right and wrong, and when we are in inner conflict, God can
often reach us in ways He cannot do when we have an attitude of not caring. It is
important to remember Joseph did not throw away his relationship with Mary as a result of
Joseph's inner conflict. Neither should we throw away any relationship with any person in
our life. Joseph did not abandon God and neither should we ever abandon God. Joseph
anguished over what he should do over Mary's condition because Joseph did not understand
everything that had happened. In the same way, we anguish over what we should do when we
do not understand all things. In all this conflict and turmoil Joseph remained faithful to
God and to Mary. What a mighty person of faith Joseph was! Likewise, what a mighty person
of faith you can be!
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