Impossible Faith

I found two references in the Bible where the words faith and impossible are used together. Sometimes I run into people who claim to have faith but life seems impossible for them. Their circumstance seems to them to be beyond God's ability to handle. Or maybe they want something to happen and God says NO! and they won't take no for an answer.

I've been guilty myself in years past of trying to favorably arrange my circumstances or influence people to do what I want them to. There's nothing wrong with being proactive about a situation or letting people know what I want but when it becomes manipulation, I have a real problem. When I decide this needs to happen NOW so I just forget all about the counsel of God and forge full steam ahead, forgetting to wait for God's direction and God's timing, I end up in trouble and heartache.

Too often we confuse feelings with faith. I will not always feel that God is near but my faith tells me He is. I may not feel like He hears my prayers but my faith tells me He does. I may not feel joyful but my faith tells me I can rejoice always. I may not feel like a princess but my faith tells me I am a child of the King.

Some of that seems like impossible faith but Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20, "if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed...nothing will be impossible for you." Jesus speaks of moving a mountain. Maybe it's an emotional mountain or a relational mountain or a mountain of debt. Whatever that mountain may be with just a  little faith, it can be moved, conquered, overcome.

But there is another "impossible faith". God tells us in Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please [God], for whoever would draw near to [Him] MUST believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." (emphasis mine). Not only must I believe in God, I must believe that He is looking out for me. That He has plans for me - good plans. That He wants to set me up for success. And if I believe that then surrender of me and my plans is the only option.