Be like Joseph, trust in life’s little detours

It was Memorial Day weekend.

In 2014, I graduated from massage therapy school and went to my mother’s house to celebrate.

I was excited, bags packed, and ready for our road trip to the beach for the weekend.

I was bearing off on her exit, driving around the curvy shoulder when I looked to my left and saw a car headed straight toward me.

It jumped over the median at the highway intersection and crashed into my door.

I had never seen anything like that before.

I flinched at the sight of him approaching me, and that was the last thing I remember until a concerned couple pulled me out of the passenger side window.

My car was smoking, leaking fluids, and was on the verge of catching fire.

But my mind was consumed with one question: how would I find a way to overcome this challenge?

What I thought was a celebratory weekend turned into doubts and questions about why God threw in this detour.

Some believe detours are often a normal part of God’s plan to guide us toward our destinies.

His Divine Favor

We learned about Jacob in “Overcoming Inadequacy: Finding Your Worth Like Leah.”

As many of you may know, Jacob had twelve sons and one daughter.

Among all of his children, he had a special preference for Joseph.

Joseph’s brothers were envious of him because of their father’s favoritism and his dreams of rising to power.

Joseph’s brothers, driven by jealousy, sold him into slavery to Potiphar in Egypt.

Can you imagine experiencing divine dreams and revelations about your future rise to power one minute, only to find yourself sold into slavery the next?

Potiphar, a captain of the Egyptian king, purchased Joseph as a slave.

Potiphar elevated Joseph to the position of overseer of his household.

Why?

Because Potiphar recognized something special in Joseph—he saw the presence of God, which would bring prosperity to his household.

Joseph likely never imagined that he would be sold into slavery.

But God will often give us a glimpse of our destiny before we are ready to achieve it.

The Detour

Sometimes, taking a different path can bring unexpected results.

Joseph remained loyal to God despite his circumstances, and God showed Potiphar just how special Joseph was.

God can bless people even in the most challenging situations, leading to success and prosperity through His favor.

I was too young to understand why God allowed that accident to happen to me.

I believed I was on my way to becoming a licensed massage therapist, but God had different plans for me.

That detour ultimately resulted in me earning both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree.

And I returned to massage therapy after my recovery and started my own business.

Over the past ten years, I’ve lived many different lives.

Life’s little detours can foster growth.

This is especially true when approached with faith and obedience.

It can allow you to adapt, learn new skills, and be resilient—valuable lessons I didn’t realize I needed.

Like Joseph, unexpected challenges may lead us to something better.

And remember The Lord told Abraham,

No matter the circumstances, God can transform any situation for good, even when it seems unclear.

Trust in life’s little detours—they can help you see things your current self would never notice.

Until Next Time!