When Things Seem Impossible
What uphill battle are you facing right now? I’ve personally been battling higher levels of anxiety than I have in YEARS. I normally sleep like a baby (when my child doesn’t wake me up at least), but recently sleeping through the night seems like a marathon my body is not trained for.
I don’t want to believe the anxiety is for a lack of faith, but regardless, I keep reminding myself that God has purpose for the in-between season of where I am and where I want to be. Sound familiar? If you’ve listened to my first podcast, “What’s Faithful with Little All About"?” then you know I challenge my listeners to be faithful in their in-between seasons because I believe God has purpose for them. And here I am, reminding myself of this truth when I don’t feel it at all.
Did you know God has a hilarious sense of humor? Because He does. And He likes to use it on me… just in case you were wondering.
Okay, enough about me because I know you’re walking through something yourself (or you just were or you are about to be). I want you to know that you’re not alone and though I’m the one writing and talking about being faithful with a little all the time, I often have to remind myself that there really is purpose in it and reward for it.
Anyways, the point of all that was actually to preface how I was lead to Mark 2:1-12 in my quiet time the other morning and I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. I’ll list the verse out at the bottom of this post and encourage you to read it for yourself, but in this passage Jesus was preaching to a crowd in his home (I’m not sure how many were there, but there were enough that when a paralytic carried by four men came, they could not get near Jesus).
Now, I’ve herd this passage multiple times. I’m pretty sure I even had a coloring sheet from learning about it in Sunday school, BUT I saw an angle in it this week that I’ve never seen/heard before… A group of people were so dedicated to what they believed and wanted, they asked, “How can we…?” instead of letting an obstacle turn them away. How could they get their friend to Jesus in order to be healed?
Think about this:
They had to first have the faith that Jesus was there and that he could heal.
They had to ask themselves, “How can we finish what we came here for?” (Inevitably there will ALWAYS be obstacles when you seek to do anything outside the norm).
They weren’t scared of the extra work (or maybe they were, but they didn’t let it stop them). They not only removed the roof, but they also figured out a system to lower their paralytic friend down to Jesus on a bed… THEY REMOVED THE ROOF. That is some serious dedication.
Their friend experienced healing.
When you face trials and tribulations, how do you respond? Do you push in and ask how or do you give up and settle for defeat?
In correlation to the above, now think and reflect on this:
Do you have the belief system that whatever is at the end of your road is worth it?
Are you ready to look for ways to overcome roadblocks when they come?
Are you willing to put in the time, dedication and work to achieve your goal?
Will experiencing the fruit of your labor be worth it in the end?
God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. What has He called you to? What steps has He asked you to take in order to become equipped? How are you doing with it?
No matter where you find yourself, it’s never too late to take the next step (and the next, and the next and the next). Tomorrow is a new day filled with opportunity so I pray you get after it and experience the fruit of being faithful… It won’t be easy, but it’s always worth it!
Mark 2:2-12
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
