The Detour | Genesis 37:12-36
Have you ever driven to Orlando from Naples? You have a few options when deciding which route to take to Orlando, and generally it takes the same amount of time whether you take the interstate or the back roads – unless there is a wreck or traffic – and then your GPS will try to find you a way around. But the reality is, sometimes the detour can sometimes take you longer than you expected.
Detours are not fun because they are often not planned. But life often takes us on quite a few of them. Sometimes it is detour after detour. Rarely, does God take someone to their destiny without taking them on a detour or two, or ten, or a hundred. God uses detours to develop our character and to lead us to our ultimate destination, even when we can’t see it.
The life of Joseph is filled with detours, yet each one is a part of the providential plan and purpose of God. The providence of God is an act of His grace and kindness by which, in His wisdom and power, He preserves and governs all the events of the lives of His creatures for their good and His glory. The question is, “Do we trust God’s providence in our lives?” What would it be like if we truly believed that God’s plan for our lives is better than our plan for our lives? This is what we are learning in the life of Joseph, that God’s plans and dreams are better than ours, even if it involves a detour.