Embracing Life's Detours: Trusting God's Plan
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. As we dive into today's message, let's start by acknowledging that summer often brings road construction and detours. These detours can be confusing and frustrating, much like the detours we face in life. Whether these detours are due to our own choices, the decisions of others, or simply life circumstances, they are a part of our journey. Today, I want us to consider that these detours might actually be part of God's plan for us.
Let's look at the story of Joseph in Genesis 37. Joseph's life was full of unexpected detours. He was his father's favorite son, adorned with a beautiful multicolored coat, which made his brothers envious and angry. One day, his father sent him to check on his brothers who were pasturing the flock near Shechem. As Joseph approached, his brothers saw him from afar and plotted to kill him. They stripped him of his coat and threw him into a pit. Eventually, they sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver, who then took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh.
Joseph's journey from being a favored son to a slave in a foreign land was a significant detour. But through these detours, God was at work. Joseph's story teaches us that God's shortcuts often look like detours. These detours are not just random events; they are part of God's plan to transform us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Consider the story of Joseph's rise to power in Egypt. If God had taken a shortcut and sent Joseph directly to Pharaoh, Pharaoh would have likely dismissed him. Instead, God allowed Joseph to go through a series of detours—being sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Through these experiences, Joseph developed wisdom, humility, and leadership skills. When the time was right, Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh's dreams and save Egypt from a seven-year famine.
Similarly, Jesus' life was full of detours. Born in a manger, raised as a carpenter's son, and eventually crucified, Jesus' path to salvation was not straightforward. Yet, through His death and resurrection, He provided eternal life for all who believe.
As we face our own detours, we should pray for God's perspective. James 1:5 tells us to ask God for wisdom, and He will give it generously. We must keep moving forward, adapting to new circumstances and seeing new possibilities. Like Lewis and Clark, who had to abandon their canoes and find new ways to navigate the Rocky Mountains, we must be willing to change our approach when faced with unexpected challenges.
Instead of asking "why" these detours happen, we should ask "what" God is doing through them. This shift in perspective helps us focus on God's purpose rather than our own discomfort. God's purpose in our detours is to transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
In my own life, I've experienced significant detours. Moving from central Illinois to southern Illinois was a major change for me. I didn't know anyone and felt lost. But through this detour, I met my wife, Tanya, and eventually felt called to ministry. These detours, though challenging, have been instrumental in shaping who I am today.
Joseph's story reminds us that even when God seems absent, He is at work. Though God's name is not mentioned in Genesis 37, His presence is evident throughout Joseph's journey. We must trust that God is using our detours for His glory and our transformation.
As we conclude, let's remember that God transforms His people through detours. These detours are not obstacles but opportunities for growth and transformation. Let's pray for God's perspective, keep moving forward, and trust that He is guiding us through every twist and turn.
### Key Takeaways
1. Pray for God's Perspective: When faced with life's detours, it's crucial to seek God's wisdom and perspective. James 1:5 encourages us to ask God for wisdom, and He will provide it generously. By praying for God's perspective, we can better understand His purpose in our detours and navigate them with faith and trust. [39:40]
2. Keep Moving Forward: In the midst of detours, we must adapt and keep moving forward. Like Lewis and Clark, who had to change their approach when faced with the Rocky Mountains, we need to be willing to see new possibilities and embrace change. This forward momentum helps us stay aligned with God's plan and purpose. [41:15]
3. Ask the Right Questions: Instead of asking "why" detours happen, we should ask "what" God is doing through them. This shift in focus helps us stay future-oriented and God-focused. By asking "what," we can better understand God's purpose and see how He is using our detours to transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. [42:53]
4. Reframe the Detour: Gaining a new perspective on our detours is essential. We need to see them not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth and transformation. Remember that God wastes nothing; He uses all our experiences, both good and bad, for His glory and our good. [30:12]
5. Trust in God's Sovereignty: Even when it seems like God is absent, He is at work in our lives. Joseph's story shows that God's hand is always guiding us, even through the most challenging detours. Trusting in God's sovereignty helps us stay focused on His purpose and remain faithful through every twist and turn. [44:40]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[09:33] - Introduction to Detours
[12:47] - God's Plan in Detours
[17:06] - Joseph's Journey Begins
[19:39] - Personal Detour Story
[22:41] - Meeting Tanya and Ministry Calling
[24:06] - Joseph's Major Detour
[28:34] - Reframing Detours
[30:12] - God Wastes Nothing
[33:17] - Asking the Right Questions
[34:49] - Following God's Signs
[36:20] - God's Shortcuts
[37:56] - Jesus' Life as a Detour
[39:40] - Pray for God's Perspective
[41:15] - Keep Moving Forward
[42:53] - Ask the Right Questions
[44:40] - Trust in God's Sovereignty
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Genesis 37:12-28
- James 1:5
#### Observation Questions
1. What were the circumstances that led Joseph to be sold into slavery by his brothers? (Genesis 37:12-28)
2. How did Joseph's brothers initially plan to deal with him, and what changed their minds? (Genesis 37:18-22)
3. What does James 1:5 say about asking God for wisdom, and how does this relate to facing life's detours? [39:40]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How did Joseph's detours contribute to his development into a wise and humble leader? [12:47]
2. In what ways can detours in our lives be seen as part of God's plan for our transformation? [11:50]
3. How does reframing our perspective on detours help us to see them as opportunities rather than obstacles? [30:12]
#### Application Questions
1. Think about a recent detour in your life. How did you initially react, and how might praying for God's perspective have changed your response? [39:40]
2. Joseph's story shows that God can use even the most challenging detours for good. Can you identify a time when a difficult situation ultimately led to positive growth or change in your life? [12:47]
3. When faced with a detour, how can you keep moving forward and adapt to new circumstances, similar to how Lewis and Clark adapted to the Rocky Mountains? [41:15]
4. Instead of asking "why" a detour is happening, try asking "what" God is doing through it. How does this shift in focus change your outlook on current challenges? [42:53]
5. Reflect on a time when you felt lost or uncertain. How did trusting in God's sovereignty help you navigate through that period? [44:40]
6. How can you reframe a current detour in your life to see it as an opportunity for growth and transformation? [30:12]
7. Joseph's story reminds us that God is always at work, even when He seems absent. How can you remind yourself of God's presence and guidance during your own detours? [25:30]
Devotional
### Day 1: Seek God's Wisdom in Life's Detours
When faced with life's detours, it's crucial to seek God's wisdom and perspective. James 1:5 encourages us to ask God for wisdom, and He will provide it generously. By praying for God's perspective, we can better understand His purpose in our detours and navigate them with faith and trust. Life's unexpected turns can be confusing and frustrating, but they are often part of God's plan to transform us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Joseph's story in Genesis 37 is a powerful example of this. Despite being sold into slavery and facing numerous hardships, Joseph remained faithful and sought God's wisdom. Through these detours, God developed Joseph's character and prepared him for a greater purpose. Similarly, we must pray for God's perspective and trust that He is using our detours for His glory and our transformation. [39:40]
James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
Reflection: Think of a current detour in your life. How can you seek God's wisdom and perspective in this situation today?
### Day 2: Embrace Change and Keep Moving Forward
In the midst of detours, we must adapt and keep moving forward. Like Lewis and Clark, who had to change their approach when faced with the Rocky Mountains, we need to be willing to see new possibilities and embrace change. This forward momentum helps us stay aligned with God's plan and purpose.
Joseph's journey from being a favored son to a slave in a foreign land was a significant detour. However, he did not let these challenges stop him. Instead, he adapted to his new circumstances and continued to trust in God's plan. By keeping moving forward, Joseph was able to rise to a position of power in Egypt and save many lives during a famine. We too must be willing to embrace change and keep moving forward, trusting that God is guiding us through every twist and turn. [41:15]
Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to embrace change and keep moving forward? How can you take a step in that direction today?
### Day 3: Focus on God's Purpose, Not the "Why"
Instead of asking "why" detours happen, we should ask "what" God is doing through them. This shift in focus helps us stay future-oriented and God-focused. By asking "what," we can better understand God's purpose and see how He is using our detours to transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Joseph could have easily asked "why" he was sold into slavery or "why" he was falsely accused and imprisoned. However, he chose to focus on what God was doing through these experiences. By doing so, he was able to see God's hand at work and ultimately fulfill God's purpose for his life. We too must shift our focus from "why" to "what" and trust that God is using our detours for His glory and our good. [42:53]
Romans 5:3-4 (ESV): "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."
Reflection: Think of a recent detour in your life. Instead of asking "why" it happened, ask "what" God is doing through it. How can this shift in perspective help you see God's purpose more clearly?
### Day 4: Reframe Detours as Opportunities for Growth
Gaining a new perspective on our detours is essential. We need to see them not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth and transformation. Remember that God wastes nothing; He uses all our experiences, both good and bad, for His glory and our good.
Joseph's detours were not random events; they were part of God's plan to develop his character and prepare him for a greater purpose. By reframing our detours as opportunities for growth, we can see how God is using them to shape us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. This perspective helps us stay hopeful and trust that God is at work, even in the most challenging circumstances. [30:12]
2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."
Reflection: Think of a current or past detour in your life. How can you reframe it as an opportunity for growth and transformation? What lessons can you learn from this experience?
### Day 5: Trust in God's Sovereignty
Even when it seems like God is absent, He is at work in our lives. Joseph's story shows that God's hand is always guiding us, even through the most challenging detours. Trusting in God's sovereignty helps us stay focused on His purpose and remain faithful through every twist and turn.
Joseph's journey from being a favored son to a slave and then to a ruler in Egypt is a testament to God's sovereignty. Despite the many detours, God was always at work, guiding Joseph and using his experiences for a greater purpose. We too must trust in God's sovereignty and believe that He is using our detours for His glory and our transformation. [44:40]
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV): "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt like God was absent in your life. How can you trust in His sovereignty and believe that He is at work, even when you cannot see it?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "You see, many times, we think that shortcuts should be shorter. But in God's economy, shortcuts are actually longer. Because how would you save the world from starvation? Have a young man sold into slavery, be accused of something that's not right? How would you save the world from starvation? Be sent to prison and continue to lead and continue to rely on God and to become humble and become faithful. So that way, when that day comes, he could speak wisdom to the most powerful man on the face of the earth at that time." [36:20]
2. "So as we're kind of wrapping up, let's maybe think, have these three thoughts in our minds that we can take and we can apply to our daily lives. Because I don't know about you, I've been in the church for a really long time. I've read Joseph. I've seen Joseph. I've seen the movies, all the movies. That are made by, you know, Disney and all the other filmmakers. I didn't really love the story. But maybe, what can I take out with me on Tuesday when I get a call and it says this? And I start entering into a detour. What can I take and have inside me? Well, number three, number one, I should say, number one is pray for God's perspective." [39:40]
3. "So when we go through, we've got to keep moving forward. In the midst of the detour, we have to adapt and we have to change and we have to see things from a new place, a new perspective, God's perspective. And we need to stop thinking common and we need to start thinking uncommonly. To do that, we have to ask the right questions. Don't ask why this detour. Please, don't ask. I have spent too many years and too many prayers crying and asking why. I can tell you there's no answer. You see, asking the question why keeps my eyes on me." [41:15]
4. "So when we are on a detour, we need to gain a new perspective. We need to reframe this detour. We need to see it from a different angle, not from our own limited angle, but we need to see it from a different angle. We need to think and remember, is God, is this a detour for God, from God? And the answer is, yes. Because God wastes nothing. We have to remember that in order to reframe a detour, I believe we have to remember that God wastes nothing. All the good times in your life, all the pain in your life, all the suffering in your life, all the memories that you have, all the experiences, all the talents, all the skills that you have, God doesn't waste any of that." [30:12]
5. "So maybe the first question that we could ask is, God, what are you developing in me? What are you, this detour, what do you want me to develop, God? Because Joseph starts out with an, he's an entitled young man who is so prideful that no one wants to follow this guy. His own brothers want to kill him. No one wants to follow him. But yet at the end of the story, we learn that God has transformed Joseph to a humble leader, faithful leader, that the nation, the most powerful nation on the face of the earth, follows and listens to him and saves the world from starvation." [33:17]
### Quotes for Members
1. "So, when you're sold into slavery by your brothers, he has a tendency to humble you, The third question that we might ask God is, what are you providing for me a shortcut? Now, God's shortcuts looks a lot different than the shortcuts we see on the road. God's shortcuts many times looks like a detour and it's a long detour. Like I said, I've been on a detour for 22 years now. I don't think I'll ever get off this detour because I always want to be available for what God wants me to do. If the detour says to go this way, I'll go this way. If it says to go this way, I'll go this way." [34:49]
2. "So, how do we process this chapter of Joseph's life? How should we approach this as we read this? Well, I think it's a wonderful narrative. I love the story of Joseph. Anybody else? I just love the story, love how God works. Even though, as you notice, as we've read most of the chapter, it talks nothing about God. It talks about Joseph, it talks about his brothers, it talks about slave traders, it talks about all this other stuff. It doesn't talk anything about God, but yet God is all over that story." [25:30]
3. "So, Joseph could have processed this detour with this. He could have felt shame. He could have felt shame. This is what I've done. This is what I did. This is what I'm getting. This is what I deserve. We see that all the time, don't we? We see that all the time. We have people in our community, people in our church that have done and said different things. I have done and I have said different things that have led me into a detour of my own making, and I thought, man, I shouldn't have said that. I shouldn't have done that and felt the shame because of that. We see this all the time." [26:58]
4. "But instead, the uncommon question would be, what? What's the purpose of this detour? You see, asking what is future-focused, not past-focused. Why is always looking for something, someone or something to blame because of the detour? What is, okay, God, where are we going? What do you want to do? It's God-focused. This keeps God's purpose in the forefront of our minds when we ask, what is God doing? Not why is this happening? You see, God's purpose in the detours of our lives is so that way we would be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. And God does this through detours." [44:40]
5. "He had this beautiful robe that was multicolored, this coat of many colors. And he received that because his dad said, you're my favorite son. I love you the best. So he gives him this. Of course, the other brother said, that's not fair. We don't like that. We hate you because of that. And then Joseph starts having these dreams about people bowing down to him. And he says, and then, of course, that made his brothers mad because he was the youngest of them all. So he said, you guys, the older guys are going to be bowing down to me. So they hated him because of these two things." [17:06]
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