Editor’s note: Every now and then, a truly beautiful book comes along. Ruth Chou Simons’ The Way of the Wildflower is not only filled with her unique and gorgeous artwork, it’s packed with Bible verses, wonderful life applications, prayers to bring you peace, and wildflower facts you will love to read. Enjoy this excerpt and come back tomorrow for more!
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Your impossible circumstance is an opportunity to remember that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Regardless of age, location, or circumstance, I’m betting you and I face these familiar scenarios every day:
- problems we don’t have solutions for,
- people we cannot see eye to eye with,
- feelings we can’t just get over,
- finish lines we can’t imagine reaching, and
- tasks we feel incapable of accomplishing.
We all know how “impossible” feels.
It’s the sense that what is required of us is bigger than what we feel capable of. The feeling that continually nags at us, taunting us with whispers that sound like “I can’t,” “It’s too hard,” or “There’s no way.” And perhaps we’ve been tempted to believe what the go-getters prescribe: Believe you can. Manifest the reality you want. Tell yourself you’re invincible. “Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it,” they say.
God’s Word poignantly offers an alternative that won’t weigh us down with the burden of self-reliance. Instead, it offers us the freedom of dependency:
Nothing is impossible for God! — Luke 1:37 CEV
Do you see the contrast?
When we look at the impossible circumstances of our lives through the lens of self-reliance, we will either hustle harder or give up in defeat. But when we look at the impossible circumstances of our lives through the lens of God’s power and strength, we will stop measuring our likeliness to accomplish the impossible by our own strength and instead look to Him.
When God gave seemingly impossible instructions to His people in exile through the prophet Jeremiah, His word to them was,
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for Me? — Jeremiah 32:27
God’s desire — for our every question about whether something is too much, too hard, or too costly — is to reveal Himself as more than capable, more than powerful, and more than faithful. The gospel puts this on display more clearly than anything else: God’s rescue for sinners, who are incapable of bridging the impossible chasm between their rebellion and God’s holiness, is the ultimate example of God making the impossible possible.
Redeeming grace is amazing because it’s a gift we could not possibly earn or win for ourselves — it’s better than we can imagine.
And that’s why Paul could say with confidence,
To Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. — Ephesians 3:20–21
When we couldn’t imagine peace with the Father, God sent His Son, Jesus.
When we couldn’t ask for pardon, God placed the penalty on Christ.
When we expected disappointment, God dealt with us in love.
When we deserved anger, God supplied grace.
When we hoped for crumbs on the porch, God set a feast before us and welcomed us in.
That’s how lavish, how over-the-top, how abundantly-more-than-we-ask-or-imagine our God is.
When we set our minds on the impossible goodness and mercy of God, nothing seems difficult in comparison. But in order to comprehend that measure of abundance, we have to grasp that depth of impossible separation. It’s not enough to think of Jesus as a helper or aide in our struggles; no, Jesus is our only means of rescue in the desperation we face as sinners.
We’re saved by the impossible, amazing grace of God.
When we set our minds on the impossible goodness and mercy of God, nothing seems difficult in comparison.
What does that mean for our right-now impossible circumstances?
It means that we can trust God. The God who accomplished the impossible to win us back to Himself is the same today — He is not daunted or surprised by the impossible circumstances you face.
He is able because of His character.
He is mighty because of who He is.
He is faithful because this is the heart of God.
Your impossible circumstance? It is not yours to figure out, fix, or make more feasible through working harder to be capable or believing in yourself. Your impossible circumstance is an opportunity to remember that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Believe in God for who He says He is.
When God asks, “Is anything too hard for Me?” you can confidently reply, “No, nothing is impossible for our God.”
Parry’s Primrose
Primula parryi
Parry’s primrose is a bold magenta flower that lives high up in the mountains, even at levels that are considered the alpine tundra. It loves wet roots and is often found growing along streams and waterfall ledges.
After a hard winter in the mountains, when the snow finally melts, it barely seems possible that such a beautiful flower could exist in such a hard place — but there it is. A lovely reminder to keep our eyes open to what only God can make possible.
Excerpted with permission from The Way of the Wildflower by Ruth Chou Simons, copyright Ruth Chou Simons.
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Your Turn
Are you facing something that seems impossible today? Remember God’s question and think about how you can reply! You can trust Him to do exactly what He’s promised. ~ Devotionals Daily