The strength of what we believe is measured by how much we are willing to suffer for those beliefs.  How prepared are you to do what is right, no matter the pain it will cause?

When Mary told Joseph about her pregnancy, Joseph knew the child was not his.  His initial plan was to move toward a divorce until an angel arrived and provided another way:

Matthew 1:19-20
Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagementquietly.  As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Joseph chose to obey the angel’s command and follow through with the wedding even though he knew it could be humiliating.

He obeyed God.

The Takeaway

Joseph was faced with a difficult choice after discovering that Mary was pregnant and his actions revealed a few admirable qualities about his character: Righteousness, Sensitivity, Responsiveness to God, and Self-discipline.

Joseph’s feelings were leading him down the path of breaking off an engagement, but instead he chose wisely and trusted the Lord.

What is a decision you’re facing right now?  And where will you put your trust, your gut or your God?