Difficult Decisions? Like Joseph, God Is with You Too

Just like Joseph, God is with you in difficult decisions. Receive encouragement from this interactive Daily Time™ Devotional for Advent.

* This is week three from God With You: A Personalized Advent Devotional

Read: Matthew 1:18-25

My two oldest sons are in that stage of life where they’re making difficult decisions about their future. Just before the beginning of the school year, they had pretty much decided which career path to take. 

But near the end of the first quarter, they both were back to rethinking their decisions. We made slight adjustments in their classes and took personality tests. They were just left with more questions.

That unsettled feeling nagged at them. And me too.

My second oldest went full circle with considering a different career path, but within a week landed right back where he started. (That was a relief to me!)

But my oldest? He’s still not come to a decision, and for a couple days was super distracted by it. 

I reminded him that difficult choices usually take some time while we pray for God’s will.

Have you been in place like this before? Where you’re praying, “God please help me make the right decision!”

Would you like a tool to help you pray for direction and receive God’s guidance in your decision making? Get a set of the Praying for Direction Scripture Cards!

Joseph’s Tough Decision

Joseph was from the lineage of those listed in the first chapter of Matthew that preceded Jesus (see verses 16-17). But although he was in this “special” lineup, he was a normal human…just like you and me.

Mary and Joseph were already engaged, and in that time and culture, engagement meant that, “From the time of betrothal the woman was regarded as the lawful wife of the man to whom she was betrothed” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary).

He had all but decided to break the engagement (or rather, divorce her) when he learned of Mary’s pregnancy but was still mulling it over. 

He wasn’t hasty. And that’s a good practice for us too. It’s better to pray and hear from God first, right?

God spoke to him through a dream, revealing His will. The angel of the Lord said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife” (Matthew 1:20 NLT).

An Angel in My Dream

Several years ago, I had a dream with what seemed to be an angel in it. In the dream I had been looking right and left and then I happened upon an elderly, distinguished looking man in the corner of the room…

He said to me with a rebuke in his tone:

You know the Bible says, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

And then I woke up…

But this certainly didn’t happen because I was super spiritual or anything. On the contrary, I hadn’t been living right for God. I was in the midst of a hard season and wasn’t responding to it well. So the dream was a rebuke. 

I recognized the passage but didn’t have it memorized. After looking it up (it’s Proverbs 4:25-27), I wrote in my journal:

I believe these verses mean to look at your life. Look at what you are doing. Meditate on whether it’s the right thing to do or not…

Then make a decision about what you are going to do. And stick with it!

God With Joseph, God With You

God is paying attention to our lives, friend. 

Just like He did with Joseph, God is with us through difficult decisions, leading us to what we should do.

I love how God touches our individualized lives and is faithful through every hard circumstance. He’s not a friend to flee when trials come but is instead “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 WEB). 

He is there. Fully present. Emmanuel. God with us. 

What a comfort that is during difficult days! 

Journaling Section  

Write: But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21 NKJV

Reflect: We’re in Advent right now, just before the end of the year. It’s at this turning point right before a new year when we want to reevaluate our goals, schedules, habits, etc. And that’s not always an easy task!

What difficult decision are you facing in the new year? Write it in your journal.

Look up the following verses that will remind you that God is with you through tough choices: 

• Hebrews 4:16
• Matthew 7:7-11
• Philippians 4:6-7

Pray: Father God, thank You for Your continued faithfulness, and that You are with me. Thank You for your Word which says I can come boldly to You,…ask, seek, and knock,…and receive Your peace.

Just as You were with Joseph during his difficult decision, I know You are with me with every tough choice I need to make. You will reveal Your will and plan. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What Bible verse encourages you most during difficult decisions? Let me know what tough choices you’re facing in the comments, and I’ll pray for guidance in your decision making! 

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