Impossibilities are Faith Opportunities

I’m not exactly sure why, but the one thought that keeps pushing in on my heart is this – “Nothing is impossible with God.” I keep thinking that when the impossible happens, then I will write about it and what a testimony to God’s power it will be! But today, I am convicted that I am to write about having faith in the God Who does the impossible, not the impossibility itself.

I guess we all have a tendency to weigh the likelihood of a particular situation and go with the more likely of 2 choices. “Everything is possible, but is it probable? Probably not.” I hear statements like this, and I think, “Yep. That makes sense. I better go with the more likely answer. The odds are against me for anything else to happen. Don’t be foolish.”

We are a skeptical people. The beliefs of the world and our own experiences have turned our views upside down and we hesitate to hope, our faith falters and we concede to putting our hope in probabilities instead of the One who holds it all in His hand.

In Luke 1: 26-39 we hear of how God sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Mary that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Although troubled and confused by the angel’s words, Mary, in faith (not disbelief) asked “How will this be since I am a virgin?” The angel went on to explain and ended his statement with this, “For nothing is impossible with God.”

I am struck by Mary’s response. She didn’t vacillate or deny, but she said immediately with great faith, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

THEN Mary got ready and hurried to see Elizabeth, her relative, where Elizabeth exclaimed a confirmation of Mary’s pregnancy with and said, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”

I think it is interesting. The angel says “For nothing is impossible with God,” Mary commits her devotion to Him; this leads to her immediate movement towards Elizabeth (whom the angel spoke of, too) where she is further encouraged, not only in that she is carrying the Lord Jesus, but for her belief in what the Lord has said. The very truth that nothing is impossible for God moves her forward with courage and faith.

I want to be like that. I don’t want to walk around skeptical of what God may or may not do, but I want to walk around in the truth that anything is possible with God and so, therefore, whatever He chooses is good. I want to be the Lord’s servant and a woman of great faith. God gives us lots of opportunities to trust Him. He precedes them with truths from His Word and from Himself. He whispers in our ears, “Nothing is impossible with Me” and yet we do not move forward in faith, we doubt, count the odds and resign ourselves to probability rather than possibility – the possibility that God may be doing a great work through us.

Impossibilities are faith opportunities. We have choices to trust God -- or not. Today, I am going to recommit to resolutely choosing God. When faced with what appears to be an impossibility, I am going to remember that anything is possible with God, and allow that truth to strengthen me to be courageous and faithful. I am going to walk forward in what He calls me to do, day by day, step by step. I am going to choose the narrow road and I am going to believe that whatever God has for me is the good and perfect thing. Maybe it will be an “impossibility,” maybe not … but either way, I hope that He will say “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”