Typically, the current obstacle in front of me – the thing blocking me from my latest idea, goal, dream – is too big to move. It’s too big to go around. It’s insurmountable. Impossible. The obstacle derails my progress and momentum. I find myself stuck.
The obstacle makes my dream impossible.
An Impossible Promise
The people of God in the days of Moses had a dream. More than a pie-in-the-sky dream, they had an actual promise from God. They were promised a portion of land to turn their nomadic nation into a legitimate country. But there was an obstacle in front of their dream.
Giants. Literal giants.
The fear of those giants kept them from their promise for forty years – half a lifetime. In those years of waiting, they learned a lesson. The lesson is almost cliche. It’s so ubiquitous, I’m almost hesitant to share it. Yet, at the same time, the lesson the people of God learned is so important, it must be learned to see the idea, goal, dream you have in your heart come true. They learned it over and over again, and even after they entered into their promised land, they learned it again.
Impossible is the Next Step
Instilled within their hearts was that with God, impossible is just the next step.
With God, impossible is just the next step.
It reminds me of the Adidas campaign – “Impossible is nothing.” Wear a pair of adidas, and you can do anything. We all know that isn’t true. I’m a 48 year-old man standing under 6 feet tall. I’m in good shape, but I’m not walking into a gym to dunk a basketball. Shoes…a brand…can’t change that.
Yet with God impossible is nothing. To God, impossible is just the next step. Again, I know. Cliche. Print it on mug. Hang it on the wall behind your desk at work (maybe with a picture of a cat hanging from a tree?).
I also know you might understand it in your head, but has it traveled south into your heart? God really does make the impossible, possible. God does split seas, tear down walls, defeat giants. Maybe the giant your facing right now is to simply move this truth from a place of knowledge to that of faith.
Remember Impossible is Nothing
And here is how you do it.
You remember. To find the faith that God can do the impossible, remind yourself of a time God did the impossible in your life. Look back to a time that you were overwhelmed and didn’t feel like you could go another step, but then God showed up and came through for you.
Almost ten years ago, we moved our family to the suburbs of Kansas City. We were following our dream of starting a business and joining a ministry opportunity. Kia wanted a studio space for her business, and we wanted a home with space for our family and to host friends.
Remember in the Waiting
We sold our home, and waited. While we waited, we rented a small house (our youngest son made his room in a large closet), and we made due. We looked at dozens of homes only to find dead ends. We found a small studio space to rent, but we knew Kia would eventually outgrow it.
It all was a little overwhelming. It seemed like all our wants were impossible. We were trying to trust God, but we didn’t see much hope from moment to moment. We had to remind ourselves of when God showed up before in our lives. I reminded Kia of the time God dug us out of $100K business debt in a year. We remembered God brining us healing in times of sickness. Kia reminded me how God sustained us as a young married couple in college.
We tried to remember that with God, impossible is just the next step.
It took a year, but we found the perfect home. The house has a room (an actual room) for each child. It has space to host friends and family. It is beautiful inside, and it looks out to amazing space outside. Five years later, the small studio space expanded to the adjacent space, AND we were able to purchase the entire building!
Do You Remember?
With God, impossible is just the next step.
So, what’s your dream (promise)? What is the obstacle in the way? Will you allow God to do the impossible? Will you remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past as you wait?
Remember.
With God, impossible is just the next step.
Leave a Reply