St. Matthew gives his account of the birth of Jesus Christ in the book of St. Matthew 1:18-19 as follows: (“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.”) This was a difficult time in the lives of both Joseph and Mary. Even though we know now that God was performing a mighty work in their lives, there was a certain amount of discomfort that they had to endure. In the natural, even though Joseph had not touched Mary, she was expecting a child. This caused him to want to sever the relationship until the Lord gave him the revelation of what was happening.
In our lives, there will be times where we will have to endure temptation that will last for long periods of time. When this happens, especially in our walk with God, we can wonder “is God with us?” The other question can be “why are others prospering and we are not?” One other question can be “why do the wicked prosper and we struggle?” Still another question can be “why do some have prosperity handed to them while we must struggle?” When God works a work in our lives, the work will be wonderful but not comfortable. From the time that we have the “born again experience” there will be a certain amount of discomfort, but the new life is wonderful. In the natural, when a child is delivered into the world, there is discomfort but the result is wonderful. Let us remember the Word of God through Isaiah in chapter 55:8-9 (“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”) God knows what he is doing. Let us trust in him at all times.