1 IMPOSSIBLE THING
What to do with an impossible thing…
I stared at the starry sky and the distant city lights. I love this view…Its a beautiful reminder of the vastness of God. I really should have been gathering sticks for our team campfire, but in moments where God seems so close at hand its hard to pull away. Clouds drifted over the heavens, momentarily blocking my view. A thought crept into my mind and settled in my heart. Even though my vision of the stars was obscured I never doubted for one moment that they were still there, shinning bright.
“Why then, is it so easy to doubt God when I don't see what he is doing?”
I'd like to say that I received instant life changing revelation in that moment. Something that would insure that I would never again doubt God's presence or plan for my life no matter how crazy it might be… I didn't. Instead, I simply felt God smile.
I have the beginnings of a theory rattling around my head. I don't think God is as nearly as delighted when I figure out an answer as he is when I ask the right question. The right question starts you on a path of seeking and diving deep. Another thing I have noticed is that He likes to return my question with one of his own. For this, my question acknowledging my doubt, He asked me to believe.
“One impossible thing.” I felt him say to my heart.
“Huh..?” I replied as I continued my halfhearted search for sticks.
“What is one impossible thing that you are willing to believe for?”
My mind immediately went to the subject of funding for this trip. With only two weeks left till the next deadline and roughly $3,500 left to meet it and $8,000 to be fully funded (due by July), impossible seemed a good word. A voice in my head chided me for thinking of something so self centered. I should pick something like…see thousands of people come to Christ, or see people raised from the dead, or nations turn to God because their leaders have a change of heart. Things like that would be a better use of God's time and abilities.
I took back the one scrawny stick I managed to find in my rambling walk and tossed it into the fire. My thoughts flipped back and forth as I watched the flames dance in the breeze. After a little while of getting no where on my own, I put the question to my team. I also asked them to take it one step further. Get a piece of paper and write out their one impossible thing then put it somewhere safe. At that point I wasn't sure what we would do with them after they were written out, actually I'm still not. What do you do with an impossible thing?
This morning I was still pondering all of this, trying to figure out my impossible thing. Problem is there are so many things to choose from. Especially if I disqualified the one thing that I knew was really bothering me. God took mercy and helped me out in this process by providing some hints.
“Where do you find yourself now? What is that one big thing that seems hard to believe for and shadows everything else? What is the one thing that occupies your thoughts and prayers?”
The answer to all this is the status of my support account. I hated giving this answer, somehow ashamed at my lack of faith. There are so many other things that should be on my mind and so many ways that God can provide and yet… here I am. Another thing I'm learning; “here” is exactly where God wants to meet us.
“One impossible thing at a time.” this whispered statement from God gave me hope. I quickly imagined filling a notebook with impossible things that God somehow made possilbe. Hum…A book full of impossible things…I guess that would be one way to describe the Bible.
*BIG EXHALE*
I just grabbed my journal and wrote out my first (of hopefully many) impossible thing…
~ To be fully funded by the end of this month.~
That means I am believing for a little over $8,000 in support to come in the next two weeks. (I was tempted to write out only what I need for the next deadline but where is the impossibility in that?)
So now what? How about a question and a charge for you the reader. What is your one impossible thing? Take time to think about it, pray about it. Oh, and don't listen to any voice that wants to tell you something is too big or too small! What is one thing that you are willing to trust God to do this year?
What to do with an impossible thing… Do you write it in a journal under lock and kep or post it on the front of your fridge? (I don't really have a fridge on the race but you might have one at home.) The answer to that?Um… I don't know. That may be something you and God have to decide but if you want to share I would love to belive with you for your impossible thing. Even if you don't want to share, I would love to know when your "impossible thing" has been accomplished!
Imagine the things we could see change in the world if we are only willing to believe for the impossible.
