The Secret To Hearing GodSample

DAY 3: Possible Impossible

“To believe a thing is impossible is to make it so.” 

Anyone who has ever found their knees knocking at the top of a steep ski run or decided against wading too far out into the roiling tide knows that skepticism and suspicion often prove to be valuable protective instincts. But when it comes to God, this French proverb sums up one of the biggest impediments we face as human beings: we think it’s impossible, and it becomes so.

Jesus knew all about our skeptical natures, so he worked overtime to force his followers to recognize and overcome their doubts. One key way he did this: many of Jesus’ miracles required some level of participation by the recipient. Consider the feeding of the 5000 in Matthew 14:19-20 (NIV)

“...Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over."

Jesus probably didn’t need the disciples’ help in the distribution and clean-up of the miraculous bounty, but he made them participate anyway. Why? I think he was preparing them to imagine the impossible as possible. So he made them fish when there were no fish biting, and sent them out in pairs to heal the sick, and taught them to boldly pray when there was no logical reason to hope.

On one of Harriet Tubman’s daring escapes with runaway slaves, Harriet and her frightened fugitives encountered an impossible situation: hunters behind them, a waiting posse of men in front of them and a swollen river beside them. None of the fleeing slaves could swim, so what to do? Surrounded by danger on all sides, Harriet dropped to her knees and prayed. And in that moment, God made the impossible possible. Harriet waded out into the murky river, which just so happened to be only waist-high right at the one place she chose to cross! The runaways followed and all escaped to freedom. 

As Nelson Mandela rightly remarked, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” 

Unfortunately when it comes to faith, skepticism can be a miracle killer. In one remarkable scene in Matthew 13, Jesus returns to his hometown and is initially warmly received by those who knew him in his youth. But then doubt and skepticism take hold of the crowd, and the chapter ends with this devastating verse, “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58 NIV) 

To believe a thing is impossible is to make it so.

In our first lesson, we learned the importance of a Posture of Preparation for hearing God. The second was to have an Attitude of Attentiveness. Today’s lesson is this: train yourself daily to believe that with the everlasting and almighty God, the impossible is ALWAYS possible.

In your prayer time today:

• Take a Posture of Preparation and say “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
• Ask God to give you an Attitude of Attentiveness, “Lord, make my heart willing to hear You.”
• Cultivate a heart that believes in the Possible Impossible, “Lord, teach me to rely on Your miracle power.”