Did Mary wonder?

In my quite time this morning with the Lord, I found myself in Luke 2.  Kind of took me off guard...I mean we just read this chapter around Christmas, right?! But after verse 1, God was already downloading encouragement for some current situations I find myself in.

As I kept reading, I got to the part about no room in the inn.  Mary, the mother of Jesus for goodness sake, had to sleep in a stable! In keeping it real, can I just say if I was Mary, as the last Inn Keeper in Bethlehem revealed that he too was full and had no rooms for them, I would have more than likely stomped my foot and pointed my finger skyward at God and asked, "Really?! I am having YOUR Son, I have given up everything to do as You asked, and You can't even give me a room to sleep in? Do You not realize I am in labor and will most likely give birth to the Son of God in a stable?! Are You seriously not even going to give me a bed or a room to carry out what You have asked?!" I wish we knew if Mary had moments like that or not....but since we know Mary was a human (a very pregnant human I might add), I am assuming there were moments where she wondered.

As I read that and thought about some of my questions to God regarding some of my current circumstances, it brought me comfort to know that if Mary could birth the Son of God in a building meant to house animals, then I can push through some of the circumstances surrounding the things God has called me to do.  It brings a little more perspective to the areas of my life that just seem crazy. The areas where I am left wondering, "If God asked me to do this, why does it look like this?!" Mary's story gives me assurance that even when I find myself in a stable, I am in the center of God's will and call! Difficult circumstances are not an indicator of being on the wrong path, and neither are ideal circumstances an indicator of being on the right path.  In fact, I can testify that some of the most challenging of circumstances came when I was right in the middle of what I knew for a fact to be God's will!

So if you have been wondering why life looks like it does if God asked you to do this thing, can I encourage you this morning that if God can allow the woman He chose to birth His Son to do so in a stable, then maybe, just maybe He can ask you to do what you have been called to do in less than perfect conditions as well!