Unexpected Favor

I just knew that I had it all figured out. I had the plan. I had the talent and all the tools that I needed to bring my vision to pass. But unexpectedly, it all came crashing down. The door to my dream was closed…and there was nothing that I could do about it. I was confused, and I felt powerless. What would I do next? What could I do next? Because this unexpected setback placed a limit on my life…it prevented me from ever walking in the path that I had planned for myself. And honestly, this realization was hard to face. I spent years not knowing who I was. I wandered through life not knowing my purpose for being on this earth. But now, I am convinced that it was all meticulously planned by God.

A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NKJV)

Most of us have heard this scripture before. We may even have it memorized. But, have we actually thought of the contrast that it presents?

Our plan versus the Lord’s.

You see, my heart planned my way. I wanted to have a successful and prestigious career. I wanted to become this vision that I had of myself. But, the problem is that the Lord’s plan was for me to be someone completely different.

God closes doors to push us into purpose.

If you are facing a closed door right now, this may not be what you want to hear. But, I believe that this revelation may give you a bit of freedom today.

The Lord is in control.

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open… (Revelation 3:7 NLT)

It doesn’t matter if the closed door is by the hands of someone trying to hurt you. It doesn’t matter if it resulted from an illness, injury, or a mistake. Regardless of the cause, the Lord is in control. He determines which doors are opened, and He determines which doors are shut. So, if you are facing an unexpected setback in your life…know that you are in the Lord’s hands…know that you are being pushed further and further into purpose.

In the book of Genesis, we read about the story of Joseph son of Jacob. His story is my absolute favorite because it shows the sovereignty of God so perfectly. Through Joseph’s story, we see that it doesn’t matter where we start in life, it doesn’t matter how many unexpected setbacks we have, or whether or not we have the support of those around us. God uses all of it– the good, the bad, and the ugly– to push us into purpose.

I wish I could read the entire story with you right now, but it is pretty extensive. So instead, I thought I’d share the highlight reel with you…

Joseph was one of twelve boys born to Jacob. He had a high call on his life, which was revealed to him through two dreams given to him by God. He was also the son Jacob favored the most, and this was proven by the robe of many colors that his father made for him and only him. As you can imagine, this caused Joseph’s brothers to become jealous. So much so, that they sold him into slavery. Joseph was taken from his home to become a servant in Egypt, where he was then falsely accused of rape and imprisoned. His story is the epitome of unexpected setback after setback. But…in the end…he becomes the second most powerful man in Egypt.

Joseph’s unexpected setbacks were actually the favor of God in his life.

As wrong as it was, Joseph’s brother’s had to betray him. If they had never betrayed him, he would have never been taken to Egypt. If he was never a slave in Egypt he would have never been falsely imprisoned. And if he wasn’t falsely imprisoned, he would have never found favor with the king. Joseph’s setbacks were the vessel that God used to push him into purpose.

But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. (Genesis 45:5 NLT)

I have no idea what you may be going through right now, but I do know how it feels to experience setback after setback. I know how it feels to experience years of losses with very few wins in between. But, I also know what’s on the other side of that struggle…purpose. God has an amazing plan for your life. He has a plan to turn each loss into a win…each setback into a setup to bring his vision to pass in your life.

I know it feels like an unexpected setback, but it’s actually His unexpected favor. He lovingly wants you to become the fullness of who you were designed to be. He wants to remove every ounce of your plan, so that His can be established in your life. So will you let Him? Will you seek Him through the unexpected trials? Will you trust that His favor covers you, even when it feels like your world is falling apart? Remember…He has promised His presence in your life. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He will protect you as He brings you to the place that he’s prepared for you.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for walking with me daily, and thank you for never leaving my side. Today, I have been reminded that you control the doors in my life. So today, I am choosing to trust you. I will trust you in this storm. I will trust that even though I don’t have the answers, you do. I believe that you are protecting me. I believe that you are leading me. And I believe that even when I face an unexpected setback, you are directing me towards purpose. I love you, Father. In Jesus name, amen.