Living With Purpose
Impossible is a word by the average person for things they cannot do. It really has no meaning for a dreamer or doer. Many of the things that are accomplished, important, and meaningful today, were by yesterdays standards marked as “impossible”. To the person without faith and ambition, “impossible” is an insurmountable wall. When they reach it, they stop, and exhibit no more effort. But, to the person who dreams— “impossible” is a challenge. For the person with faith and belief; nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). It may be for others, but not when God Almighty is directing your steps. We can hear another person’s voice from the other side of the world while sitting in the comfort of our own home by way of phone, computer, radio, and/or TV. This was once thought “impossible”. There are still some apparently impossible things to be made possible. An ancient philosopher once said: “The legs of a stork are long, the legs of a duck are short; you can’t make the legs of the stork short, neither can you make the legs of the duck long.” That’s what is the matter with too many of us—we take things for granted. We don’t believe we can change our situations. We see stork legs long, duck legs short, and sigh, “That’s the way it is and it’s impossible to change it”. But things can be changed in time. By selective breeding techniques you could eventually make stork legs shorter, duck legs longer. I’m not advocating for taller ducks! And I am not sure why someone would want to do this, but it is possible. According to the same principle and by the proper thinking, you can improve your life and make some “impossible” things, “possible”. If you look carefully, the seed of the solution is in the word itself— “I’m possible”!
Perhaps you need more tools to help you to do the impossible. Let’s begin with Matthew 17:20 where it says, “If you have enough faith; nothing would be impossible.” A 5-step process can be implemented like this:
Ponder the Purpose of Faith. As believers we know faith is the means by which we receive God. When we ask in faith, He comes into our heart and life. Our purpose in life is discovered in all it’s fulness through our faith in God. Love, joy, peace, hope, help, and even miracles come through prayer accompanied by faith.
Prove the Promises of Faith. Belief is the element of faith that makes it active, real, and effective. Romans 4:20 says, “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.” Testing the promises of faith will not fail, because God cannot fail. Search the Scriptures, find the promises, and claim them in Jesus name. Use them in times of trial, adversity, and need. Our faith works as we work our faith.
Pursue the Possibilities of Faith. The potential of faith is beyond comprehension. “All things are possible for them that believe” (Mark 9:23). God is limited only by our failure to believe. Persistence and patience are often required before we see God work. We must keep on believing while waiting for God to answer in His own time and way.
Pray the Prayers of Faith. I have known some people pray to express opinions. Some pray to impress other people. These are ineffective and faithless prayers. John 14:14 makes it very clear: “Ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” Petitions made to God which are subject to His will and accompanied by faith bring results.
Proclaim the Power of Faith. I am amazed as I review history and see the technological advances humanity has made. Society and its engineering creativity have made progress in the development of power—horsepower, steam power, waterpower, atomic power, and solar power. But no person or entity can match the power of God. God’s power far exceeds humanities’ feeble attempts at development. God is omnipotent. And He has given us access to His great power of faith.
This week I continued to pray for those attending to COVID-19 patients during this time of crisis. I named doctors specifically in my prayers as they administered care to people in need. A doctor friend of mine who practices medicine in a COVID-19 hotspot reported that one of her non-COVID-19 patients was in dire need for an emergency surgery, but the hospital was massively overstretched. She reached out to an alternate surgery center and they offered their facility. The lady was too sick to be put to sleep. So, the doctor was able to perform the surgery while the patient was awake by talking her through it and keeping her calm with no anesthesia! The sick patient is now convalescing, and her kidney is functioning better. Impossibilities hold no match for an Almighty God who works through those who love Him.
Don’t accept things as inevitable. Decide what it is that you want changed or need done, then, like Sherlock Holmes on the trail of a mystery, go after each clue that might lead to the happy solution for your challenge. Dream your dreams and strive diligently—it may come true!
• This bi-weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. He’s a health educator for the State of Florida, U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain, and the Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in the New York Community. His “Living With Purpose” Book series can be found and purchased on www. Amazon.com. You can contact him by email: rmdobson@liberty.edu.
