The Seemingly Impossible

I’ve been dwelling on the fact of the seemingly impossible as of late. I feel like there’s a lot of circumstances in my life right now that on the surface, seem impossible for them to come into being or to be carried out. Examples of this include trying to end the academic quarter 2 to 2.5 weeks early, planning a large scale week-long conference for the campus in January, engagements with friends and fellowship, learning difficult lessons in a relationship, and more.
I look at all these things and each of them in themselves seem impossible, and all of them together is another story.

Yes, there are times I feel overwhelmed, and I hope I’d be the first to admit that. But I’m also finding something uncharacteristic of me in this situation, and that is learning to delight in the impossible…

Hebrews 6 talks about the progress of moving from an elementary to mature faith. We are to remember the doctrine we have been taught, and the goodness of God which we have tasted thus far, and yet still press on. It refers to promises such as those that God promised to Abraham, and what it means to inherit those. We are to be sure of better things (vs 9) and be earnest in holding fast and fully to the hope we have until the end (vs 11), because then we are imitators of those who have come before and inherited the promises God has spoken.

We are to be like Abraham and patiently wait for said promises. We are to have faith, not in something as finite as ourselves and the works of our feeble hands, but in Someone infinite. Someone greater than ourselves (vs 16).

We so often want confirmation for what we hope for. Often times we wait and hope without seeing tangible fruit of said thing, but in His own promises, God gives us an oath sworn by his unchangeable self, that we may hold fast to the hope we have before us (vs 17-18). The oath that God has sworn by Himself is the surest and most steadfast anchor, as Jesus is the One binding the Covenant between ourselves and God. He is the forerunner on our behalf, our priest in the inner courts (vs 19-20), and through salvation in Him, we are able to receive all the Father has promised.

God laid the foundation again for me this summer, reminded me and taught me thoroughly the elementary things of my faith, such as who He is according to His word. It is good that I move on to the mature things, regardless of how difficult they are. When we truly know and understand knowledge, I believe it penetrates our heart and floods through our actions. With that, I believe that when we come into a better and fuller understanding of God, it penetrates our hearts and floods our actions.

In these seemingly impossible things, I am being covered with the truth of the knowledge I know and hold fast to. I am being reminded that my own strivings are folly. I’m remembering that I truly can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I’m remembering that He must become greater, and I must become less. I’m remembering that it is of more value to believe without seeing. I’m remembering that even when I, a youth, grow tired and weary, the Lord will renew my strength. I’m overwhelmed with the peace that comes with the knowledge that God is always faithful. His ways are not my own, but I can surely trust Him to work out things on His own accord, and for the good of His children.

I’m incredibly thankful that these seemingly impossible lessons and circumstances only bring me back not just daily, but in every moment, to His feet, realizing that I am truly nothing and He is everything. I cannot live on my own. When I place myself at His feet and under His care I find Him in immeasurable ways that I only could’ve imagined or dreamed of before. The relationship I have with Him is much more than anything that can be found or described here on this earth, as His character is a profound mystery…

But I am not a mystery to my dear Father. In His eyes, these seemingly impossible things before me are things He has set before me in order that I may be refined, move on towards maturity, and above all, know Him more, love Him more. His ways have already come to be, and all of my days are already written in His book, even as I live into His story for me moment by moment.

I live in the light of a divine mystery, that of the Father’s love for us and everything that results from it. There are so many things I don’t understand right now about the things I am in and the circumstances that surround me, but I rest in the knowledge that He does. I will continue to walk in this divine mystery, realizing that I now see in a mirror dimly, but one day I will see clearly; now I only know in part, but then I shall know fully, as I am fully known by my Father (1 Cor 13:12).

That is surely enough to hope in.