Session 13

How do you handle the impossible?

From Genesis: A 7-Week Devotional

Have you ever felt stuck in a season of life—confused about where to go to school or what major to choose, unsure when you’ll finally land your dream job, wanting a family but nothing seems to go right? These unanswered questions and unfulfilled desires can lead us to doubt and mistrust God’s plan for our lives. And, we often find ourselves waiting for the next answer.

If you have ever questioned God’s promises, you are not alone. In Genesis, Abraham and Sarah battle with distrust in God’s promise to give them children and more descendants than they can count. Sarah even schemes to make this happen on her own terms in Genesis 16.

In Genesis 18, the Lord visited Abraham and promised him a son by the following year, and “Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’” (Genesis 18:12).

It’s easy to doubt God’s plans and promises when they seem impossible. But, God answered Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?...” (Genesis 18:14). Then, in Genesis 21, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah, and they had a son, Isaac.

When we begin to doubt, we can ask ourselves: Is this day too hard for the Lord? Is this addiction too hard for the Lord? Is this decision too big for the Lord? Is this marriage too far gone for the Lord?

Though it is hard to see past our present circumstances, nothing is too hard for God. Even when things don’t go as we expect, we can trust that God still has a plan for our lives, and He is faithful to fulfill His promises.

Reflect:

• Has there ever been a time in your life when you doubted God’s plan for you? What was the outcome?
• How impossible did it seem for God to give Sarah a child at such an old age? Considering what God did for Sarah, how impossible is your situation today?
• Take some time to ask God to help you trust Him through the impossible.