Doing the Impossible

“I’m at my wit’s end!”  Did your mother ever say that to you?  Mine probably did.  “You’re impossible!” a teacher might say to an obstinate student.  “I give up!” is another response when faced with a difficult situation.  How we face seemingly impossible situations tells us a lot about our character.  Too often we limit ourselves to our own resources and humanly speaking, the task or even person before us is indeed impossible.

Henry Blackaby reminds that faith in God is an adventure where we come to the end of ourselves and we begin with God.  In other words, true faith is exercised when we try to accomplish something that can only happen if God is behind it.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Now that sounds impossible.

We are currently going through the Old Testament book of Exodus and are seeing how the Israelites and Moses face one impossible situation after another.  The formula is rather humorous:  God calls - Moses reluctantly leads - the people balk - God continues to call - the people complain - God acts anyway - the people praise God.  And the cycle continues.  We criticize them and wonder why they don’t get it but are we any better?

What impossible things are we facing?  A financial shortfall, lack of volunteers, not enough people willing to be elders and deacons, an unwillingness to change, or a culture that is not congruent with the church.  Today, I was bought to my knees by a 4 year old.  The Day School has asked me to hang out with Tommy(not his real name) because he has been a problem for the teachers.  Things were going fine until it was time for him to return to his class.  No amount of persuasion, discipline or promises could get him to bend.  I was at a loss.  He was being….impossible.

This was a good reminder that even a little person can convince us that our small attempts to do good are wasted.  It’s a reminder that I need not just resort to prayer but use it as my primary strategy.  If I’m not praying I am thinking that I can handle these situations all on my own.  And today, I learned otherwise.

In the Gospel of Luke Jesus tells us Jesus “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”  This is the life to which He is calling us.  He wants to partner with us in reaching Tommy, solving our financial situation, etc.  He’s already on the move if we will open  our eyes and hearts and put Him first in our lives. Seemingly impossible situations will be transformed into testimonies of God’s love and faithfulness.