Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. -Luke 1:38
Mary makes it look easy. The angel Gabriel says she’ll have God’s Son, and she immediately says yes to her role in God’s plan. But what was Mary thinking? She had no guarantee things would be easy. She probably knew having and raising Jesus wouldn’t be a breeze. The only assurance she had was God’s Word, and that was enough for her to say “yes.”
In 1 Peter 1, Peter says our faith is shown genuine through tough times. God often asks for our trust in challenging and seemingly impossible situations. But do we respond like Mary? It’s easy to let our doubts get in the way of what God wants to do in and through us. We may want to grow, but are we ready to say “yes” to God and go through tough times?
Mary couldn’t grasp everything on the other side of her, yes, but she trusted God. As a result, God brought Jesus into the world through Mary, offering forgiveness for our sins and fixing our relationship with God.
This Christmas, think about how Mary said yes to God’s plan for Jesus’ birth. What tough thing has God put on your heart? Whether it’s fixing a broken relationship or stepping out in faith for your purpose, remember that on the other side of your “yes” to God is an outcome better than you can imagine.
Prayer:
Father, I trust that Your will is perfect. I pray You will place Your desires on my heart so my dreams match Yours. Thank You for the example Mary set. Please give me the wisdom, courage, and faith I need to say “yes” to Your plan for my life.