Impossible Circumstances

Because someday I want to achieve it, I am soaking in our study of the workbook, The Secrets of a Happy Heart. The last few lessons have been so applicable to my life - such as the one I mentioned in a previous post: Joy in Disappointment

Today's lesson was called "The Joy of Overcoming Impossible Circumstances." We all have surely faced some - whether they were truly something life changing or impossible only in our own mind. I have a list of circumstances I have faced and overcome - and some happening right now that I wonder if I'll ever get through. Impossible circumstances don't always resolve like we want them to, the process is sometimes painful, but in the end, God can get us through, if we allow Him. A statement in the lesson says, "God is eager to make your life a trophy of His grace...But you must be willing to do it His way." Over and over I am confronted with the idea that God wants me to pry my fingers off my life and let Him take care of things. I need to hold my own plans loosely.

I've also been mulling over my own weakness, but a wonderful truth I've learned is that Jesus requires only grain-of-mustard-seed size faith! That's not very much. Some are men or women of GREAT faith; some of us kind of hold on to the end of the rope as it unravels. However, Scripture tells us that even the littlest of faith can move moutains!

The other thing I realized through today's study is that I'm not condemned (ie punished)! We may suffer the consequences of our sins and our choices, but we are never corrected by God out of anger or contempt and are never rejected by Him (Romans ch. 8 - "There is therefore now no condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus"). God's love for us is dependent upon His own character, not ours. He loves us simply because we are His.

The daily journey through trials will be more joyful if we focus "on the good kinds of outcome that will come out of the crisis, not on the pain of the crisis itself." Suffering believers are urged to look up, not within (I Peter). I've definitely noticed that my tendency to be so introspective isn't always so great. I condemn myself way too easily, I'm hard on myself, I don't meet my own expectations, I am not who or what I wish I were, I don't have everything I ever dreamed I'd have, etc etc etc - but I am exactly where God wants me. He isn't suprised by the events of my life and the seemingly impossible circumstances I face.

I have a framed sign on my desk at work that says, "Good Morning, This is God. I will be handling all your problems today. I will not need your help. Have a nice day."