With God All Things Are Possible

When discouraging circumstances catch us by surprise, one of two things tends to happen. Either we firmly believe God will somehow, someway work our circumstances to good, or we jump to conclusions and take matters into our own hands. When God told Abraham and Sarah that they were going to have a baby in their old age, Abraham was eighty six years old and Sarah was seventy-six years old. (Genesis 15:4)

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Knowing they were well past the age of childbearing, they didn’t see how they were now going to become parents. However, just because they didn’t see how it was possible, didn’t mean it was impossible. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Unfortunately, despite this truth, they chose to jump to conclusions and take matters into their own hands, forfeiting God’s perfect will, for His permissive will.

Instead of trusting God to keep His promise to them, Sarah suggested to Abraham that he sleep with her maidservant, Hagar to give them a child (Genesis 16:1-4) After Abraham got Hagar pregnant, jealousy and envy consumed Sarah, and their lives became needlessly complicated. Had they trusted God to work out His perfect will in their life from the start, they could have avoided so much tension and heartache.

Though my faith has never been put to the test in this way, I have definitely done my share of jumping to conclusions, instead of just resting in God’s promises. As much as I hate admit it, just like Abraham and Sarah, whenever I jump to conclusions and take maters into my own hands it is because I am doubting God’s promises for my life. And what has he promised me, and you? “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) This means whatever difficulties we face, no matter how awful our situation may get, God’s plan is to prosper us, not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and future.

Every circumstance God allows in our life is filtered through this promise. And though we may doubt His promises for us, as a result of being distracted by our upsetting circumstances, when we are faithless, He still remains faithful. (2 Timothy 2:13) He will still keep His promises to us. Despite how bad our situation may look, God’s plans are still, and will always be, to prosper us, not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and future. Every problem we face. Every time.

Next time you find yourself in troubling circumstances, consider this: when God’s people, the Israelites, found themselves in a terrifying situation as a result of the Egyptian army charging towards them with no where for the Israelites to escape, just then God used Moses to part the Red Sea making a way, for them, when none seemed to exist. “With God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)  Just as God created the heavens and the earth, out of nothing, despite how our circumstances appear He can create a way when none exists.

Is there anything troubling you today? Rest in God’s promises to you. (2 Corinthians 1:20) As someone once said, "Never place a question mark where God has put a period." His plans are, and forever remain, to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and future. Every problem. Every time. Don’t let your circumstances, or anyone else, tell you otherwise.



Copyright © 2010 Brooke Espinoza.