Gabriel’s message to Mary troubled her because she was confused by God’s plans. Luke 1:9 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” [1]
Perplexed
Confusion is the state of being bewildered or unclear in one’s mind about something. I don’t think Mary in her wildest dreams anticipated this announcement. She was a young girl in a rural village planning her marriage. Every time an angel visits a person in Scripture, the first instruction is not to fear. Why? Angels are scary. It is the same here for Mary.
Mary must have had numerous questions. Why would an angel come to her? Was she worthy of this visit? How had she possibly found favor with God? How was she to be pregnant when she had not been with a man? She knew how babies were made. What was God asking her to do? She was a young, poor village girl. How could she possibly be the mother of a great ruler?
Many times when God tells us the plans He has for us, we are confused because we don’t understand. God sees far beyond what we can. Isaiah 55: 8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. [2]
What to do When Confused by God’s Plans
Mary had an angel to help clear up her confusion. We don’t always have that option. God can call us to do surprising things that may leave us in confusion. At times like these, we need to communicate with God in prayer. We can ask for discernment. 1 Corinthians 14: 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. [3]Our enemy, satan, loves confusion, but we can be aware of these schemes. James 4: 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you.[4]
There are times we simply don’t understand everything. But because we know the character of God and His love for us, we can trust Him. Proverbs 3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do,and he will show you which path to take. [5] If you are confused by God’s plans, continue to seek Him. Jeremiah 29: 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.[6] God has plans for each of us that are beyond us. When we follow His path, others will know it is supernatural and will give God the glory. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/the-gift-of-relationships
[1-6] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.