Human Will & God’s Purpose

READ

Divine purpose doesn't always feel purposeful in the moment—it often feels like upheaval.

Let’s take a moment to read Luke 2:4-5:

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child."

REFLECT

Mary's journey to Bethlehem wasn't convenient, safe, or what she would have chosen—nine months pregnant, traveling dusty roads to satisfy an empire's census demand. Yet somewhere in this collision of human inconvenience and divine purpose, God was orchestrating the most important moment in human history. We spend so much energy trying to control our circumstances, measuring our worth by outcomes we can predict. But Mary teaches us surrender: "Let it be to me according to your word." God's purposes often unfold through disrupted plans and circumstances we'd never choose.

RESPOND

Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.

• What disruption or detour in your life might actually be an invitation into God's greater purpose?

REST

Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:

Lord, teach us the sacred art of surrender. Loosen our grip on the need to control, predict, and manage every outcome. Help us trust that Your purposes are unfolding even—especially—when life doesn't go according to our plans. Give us Mary's courage to say "yes" to Your will, even when we can't see the full picture, even when the path feels uncertain. Amen.