The Purpose of the Process

“But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told” (Luke 2:19-20).

God brings the story full circle. How many times do we go through seasons that seem never-ending? How many times do we find ourselves walking a road that we never intended to take? Perhaps as Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem, they found themselves lost in thought, asking why the Lord had chosen them to bear such a burden and wondering if, in the end, it would be worth it.
           
Mary and Joseph no doubt faced intense struggles when Mary became pregnant. She bore shame, and Joseph was most likely thought to be a fool for still taking her as a wife, but nevertheless, they trusted in the Lord. Then, we see them on the long, winding road to Bethlehem—an appropriate metaphor for the long, winding road of life they were walking.
           
We can only imagine after the journey was over the feelings of frustration, exhaustion, and confusion they both felt when they arrived, but there was no place for them to stay.

The Lord had His reasons. Their struggle made no sense at first, but Luke chapter 2 tells us that afterwards, Mary was treasuring up things in her heart that she had seen and things she had been told. When she got to Bethlehem, she was a pregnant woman without a place to rest, but she would leave Bethlehem as the mother of God, wiser than before because she could see the intentions of God.
           
When the shepherds came to visit them in the stable, they told Mary and Joseph about the message they’d received from the angel and about the heavenly hosts singing and glorifying God for the miraculous birth of Jesus. Imagine the pure joy and peace that Mary felt. Imagine her response when she realized that their struggle had been leading to such a moment, when all of heaven would raise a song of praise and God would lead shepherds to their side to worship the newborn Messiah.
           
We can almost picture her with Jesus in her arms thinking, This is only the beginning.
           
Perhaps if Mary ever had doubts, those doubts disappeared in that moment when she understood that the world was about to change. Her whole world was about to change.
           
When we don’t understand the purpose in our struggle, and we can’t see the reason why God would ask so much of us, He has His reasons.
           
There’s purpose in the process and a method to the madness. He will bring your story full circle, and you, like Mary, will treasure up the things of God in your heart.