Joseph was devastated. How could Mary do something like this to him? He had already received permission from her father to become engaged to her, and now she had mysteriously become pregnant. They had kept themselves, patiently waiting all these months for their wedding night and now she is telling him that it’s not what it looks like. There is no way he could follow through with the engagement after this betrayal. But while he was quietly planning on breaking off their relationship, the angel that had appeared to Mary now paid him a visit.

Initially, you probably decided in your pain that it would be best to cut ties with the prodigal that you were praying for. To remove yourself from the situation would save a lot of pain and heartache, and all influences in your life counseled the same. You have every right to leave, and nobody would blame you or think less of you. But something deep down, past all the confusion and emotion, was strong enough to delay your exit. And then, some circumstance has presented itself in such a way that it would seem impossible to recover or ever be reconciled. You might feel like God showed you that your prayers would help heal your spouse, but now they have become involved with another relationship. Or you have found every scripture concerning your children and now they are spiraling out of control. Whatever the case, the situation now seems beyond repair despite what you know God said to you.

When the angel appeared to Joseph, he told him things that were beyond any understanding. There was no bible around for Joseph to read or study “virgin birth” scenarios. He had absolutely no point of reference for how to handle this. Still, this angel was telling him that Joseph had nothing to be afraid of, and that everything would be okay. But the truth is, Jesus would have been born to Mary with or without Josephs participation. The angel was presenting Joseph with an opportunity to be a part of what God was doing in the earth, and Jospeh had the choice to cooperate or dismiss himself. In the end, Joseph chose this open door not knowing where it may lead.

When God opens a door for you to participate in bringing His Kingdom into the earth, it will often not be a see-through door. It will be dark and mysterious, and the opportunity to walk through will contradict what you see in the circumstance. It might even contradict the biblical rules and teachings that have been established in your life. (Joseph was entitled to leave, and their law said that Mary was to be stoned to death). And God is a gentleman and a wise Father, and will not force you into any opportunity; he will only beckon you lovingly forward with only His word to sustain you. You will not see down the road, but you will see the next step. And that is all He has ever promised.

If you are at this door and you sense the drawing into the unknown, you are allowed and even encouraged to apply biblical wisdom and seek Godly counsel. But at the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your choices moving forward. And in His goodness, most doors will present themselves again later of you miss them the first time. Speaking from my own experience, I urge you to always step into the unknown when it is God leading you forward. Do not ever miss an opportunity to see something miraculous. If God has started something in your life and I the life of your loved one, He has promised that He will finish it. And if you are willing to walk out into the deep, you will see the emergence of the promise and the expected end of this process.