And They Said It Couldn’t Be Done

Famous last words to those who solve a problem, who win a competition, who finally conceive a baby, who conquer a mountain, who get completely healed, who discover a cure, who invent something that really works. NEVER should we EVER say “It can’t be done” or “I can’t do that" or ANYTHING when God says “Is there anything too hard for me?” Genesis 18:14

A friend sent me this text a few days ago: "I definitely need a lot of prayers. I'm in a very challenging place right now!" I didn't ask what it was about but I had just read the following words in my Bible app and sent it to them. I give them to you today, just in case you happen to be in a challenging place right now, too:

"Are you facing a seemingly impossible situation in your life? Is there an apparently irretrievable breakdown in a relationship? A serious health issue? An almost impossible challenge in your job? Is there a habit or an addiction that you are finding too hard to break? Whatever challenges you may face in the year ahead, nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Abraham was a hundred years old. His wife, Sarah, was ninety. God promised them a son. They said, in effect, 'That is impossible.' This is the context of the rhetorical question: 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' The answer is 'No'. If Sarah could conceive when 'already very old, and past the age of childbearing', then nothing is too hard for the Lord."

What great words for my friend! I saw these examples of what seemed to be an impossibility years ago. How absurd for anyone to question or doubt ANYTHING can be done by a non-quitter:
• In 1873, Sir John Ericksen, the Surgeon to Queen Victoria, said, “The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon.”
• In 1876, American president Rutherford B. Hayes told Alexander Graham Bell, “The telephone is an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one?”
• In 1895, Albert Einstein’s high school teacher said, “It doesn’t matter what he does; he will never amount to anything.”
• In 1939, The New York Times proclaimed, “The problem with television is that the people must sit and keep their eyes glued on a screen; the average American family hasn’t time for it.”
• In 1949, mathematician John von Neumann said, “It would appear that we have reached the limits of what it is possible to achieve with computer technology.”

How blessed we are that those winners didn't quit their projects! How easy it easy to forget that we have a Holy Partner in our personal and professional lives. We don't have to go it alone in our drive and determination. We have the Creator of the Universe as our partner. Why should we worry or fret?

We know "Nothing is impossible with God," but we shouldn't have the attitude of "Let's wait and see what God will do". We must do our part and our part is to believe that God, our PARTNER, has a perfect plan for our lives. Let's take the limits off our faith and a never-giving-up attitude. Let’s give up every doubt in His desire to see us blessed. Nothing is too hard for God and when we place our faith and trust in Him, He gives us wisdom, ideas, creativity, and witty inventions. It really can be done because “nothing is too hard for our God”.

God Answers Prayer -- and Sometimes in an Unexpected Way

Years ago, I fell down a flight of stairs -- bumpety bump on my bottom -- all the way down. I felt like a compressed-together accordion. I had a serious back injury and lived in pain, even after many medical treatments.

For years we prayed for my healing. We had weekly leadership meetings in our home, and they joined with us in praying for my healing. One night, a young couple, who were our church's new youth pastors, expressed their need for a bed. Inconspicuously, my husband made his way to me and told me he felt impressed to give them our bed. I learned many times over, that my husband and God, frequently had these little "chats", so no way could I offer an objection. The young couple was thrilled. But, now WE needed a bed.

The new craze, at that time, was waterbeds (pictured here), and our 13-year old son had one that he loved. My husband asked if he would let us sleep on the waterbed for a few nights to see if that's what we wanted to buy for ourselves. We heard that at least two weeks were needed to get used to it. In that two weeks period, something amazing happened. The back pain that I suffered from for years, was gone. It was so impressive, that we purchased a waterbed for ourselves, and enjoyed it for years.

So, was it the waterbed that provided my healing, OR was it the obedience to God's nudge, to give to someone in need? I think it's the same response from the blind man that was healed by Jesus: "All I know is once I was blind, but now I see!" And my response is, "Once I had severe back pain, but now I have none." Yes, God answers prayers, and sometimes He says: "1) Yes; 2) Not yet; 3) I have something better in mind. I think my answer was #3 -- He had something better in mind......so much so, that I'm continuing to tell others that God answers prayer. I encourage you: Don't limit God -- for NOTHING is impossible with Him. If not a "Yes", right now.....hang on....He probably has something so much better in mind! And in the meantime, LISTEN, He just may have an unconventional way of bringing about your answer, like He did mine!