God positions us for His purposes!

I remember after quitting my six figure income feeling at a loss. I wondered: where, when, why and how? At one point,while attending a conference filled with hundreds of people. God surprised me. I didn't feel like attending the event, it seemed like a waste of time. After all, I knew I would leave my job in just a matter of months. But God had a specific plan. During the event, He spoke distinctly within my thoughts. The national speaker called out from the audience, unsolicited, and invited to join him on stage. As I made my way to stage, God spoke very distinctly a thought far greater than my own, saying, I can pick you up and position you where I want you, wherever and whenever I want you.

Friend, rest in that amazing truth! God positions us for His purposes! He moves despite our short-comings. He positions despite our preconceived ideas of what His promise might look like. Check out this verse:

"After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene." (Matthew 2:19-23, NIV)

OK. I know nothing particular earth shattering here, on the surface, but look deeper. Joseph set out under the pretense of settling in Judea, specifically. When the angel said go up to the land of Israel, Joseph interpreted the land of Israel to mean Judea. Further, God allowed Joseph to move forward under that pretense. BUT...as Joseph moved closer towards that destination God gave him more insight. He learned Herod's son, Archelaus, reigned in Judea. Joseph's plan and idea was interrupted with deeper clarity. God warned him in a dream to withdraw and to Galilee. Galilee was still the land of Israel. Galilee still lined up with God's original plan but was an entirely different destination than Joseph envisioned.

OH HOW I CAN RELATE. I can't tell you how many times I've headed out under a pretense or notion only to be interrupted by GOD's clarity. God has allowed me to set out with a destination in mind and at just the right time re-directs my steps to align with what He intended all along.

How about you? Ever get re-directed?

Re-direction doesn't mean failure. Re-direction filters through God's grace. God doesn't expect us to know steps A to Z. He lovingly leads us and even allows us to sometimes head out under one pretense based off our paradigms (without feeling the need to give us every piece of information) because He knows at just the right time, He can clarify and keep us safe!

Our job isn't to know ALL the details or even know the final specific destination. God accomplishes ALL of His purposes despite ALL of our misgivings.

So, if you find yourself in the midst of change or in the place where things just didn't turn out like you expected or anticipated...yet feel as thought you've done everything to surrender your steps to Him...don't worry...God is still in control and is working all things together for your good. He may just be making the necessary adjustments to position you to fulfill His purpose!