Whoever said life is not easy was wrong, totally wrong. Life is sometimes extremely hard, painful and impossible to endure.
And we mistakenly look for this time of year to change that. Christmas was meant to be the most wonderful time of the year. If that’s so, why is the suicide rate at its highest during this season?
Maybe the reason is because while most are singing, shopping and decorating, others are in a different place. They’re sinking in heartache. The season’s festivities intensify their grief, while they believe they’re the only ones suffering, lonely or lost.
And those sentiments, like a brick wall, build up, creating a barrier impossible to overcome.
Have You Been There?
We all have. When adversity of any kind barges in, our focus goes to the circumstance, the challenge and the obstacle.
And when this happens, we throw on our let-me-solve-this cape. Then with flawed determination, we charge to fix what is in the way. But rather than success, we often come crushing down in defeat.
The reason is because this is not God’s way. His way might be to allow things to fall apart in such a way that we have no option but to trust in Him. To come to Him for help. And to seek His answers.
It Was Impossible—or Was It?
That’s why God chose an impossible situation to tell us, no, change that, to show us that with Him, impossibilities are no barriers at all. For example, an older woman, barren for many years, is now pregnant? Impossible. And a girl, pure and a virgin, pregnant? Impossible.
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God. Listen, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren. For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:34-37).
That “nothing is impossible” includes your own situation, your struggle and your pain. And like Mary, you see that scenario as impossible. Mary couldn’t see the logic. We don’t either. Mary saw the circumstance instead. We see our own, too. Mary questioned how it could be. And so do we.
But then Christmas happened. God Himself came to earth in the flesh so we would not have a doubt that He’s here for our impossibilities. He’s here for those moments of anguish when life is too much. He’s here, alive to shield us from our destructive anxiety.
But to allow Him to work that into our circumstance, we must avoid these three traps:
- Crying, “Poor me.” We have the King of kings, the Creator of the universe, to lift us to the mountain of victory. How will He manage that? We don’t need to know the how; we only need to declare that He will.
- Looking at the circumstance. Instead, focus on the certainty of His promise. His Word says that with Him, all will turn around and miracles will happen.
- Giving up. Perseverance is the secret to reaching the finish line, winning the prize and receiving the medal of triumph.
Let’s Pray
Father, I confess my failure to believe in the miracles You promise. Thank You for Your patience with me as I wait to see my impossible situation turn to an immense miracle. In Jesus’ name.
What impossibility will God make possible for you today? {eoa}
Janet Perez Eckles is an international speaker and the author of four books. She has helped thousands conquer fear and bring back joy.
This article originally appeared at janetperezeckles.com.
