Have you ever faced something that seemed completely impossible? A situation where you looked at your resources, your abilities, and your circumstances and thought, “There’s just no way this can happen”?
The phrase “with God, all things are possible” is one we’ve all heard countless times. It appears on coffee mugs, t-shirts, and social media posts. But what does it actually mean when we encounter the impossible in our own lives?
The Misunderstood Promise
Many Christians have turned this powerful biblical truth into something it was never meant to be. We’ve twisted it into a motivational slogan that supposedly guarantees success in whatever venture we pursue.
“With God, all things are possible” gets attached to our personal dreams, goals, and desires. We assume that whatever we want, God will make it happen if we just have enough faith.
This is bad theology.
The context of this verse in Mark 10:27 isn’t about fulfilling our personal wishes or ambitions. Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.” He was speaking about salvation… something humans cannot accomplish on their own, but that God makes possible through His grace.
God’s Will vs. Our Desires
What if, instead of asking God to accomplish the impossible things that we want, we trusted God to accomplish the impossible things He’s calling us to?
Think about that. What if we stopped focusing on our agenda and started following His?
True faith doesn’t begin with our dreams. It begins with God’s calling.
Our personal dreams often blind us to God’s true calling for our lives. We tell ourselves, “If I desire something strongly enough, it must be from God.” But this thinking is backwards. The reality is that our own wishes and desires can actually lead us away from God’s perfect plan.
The Command That Enables Obedience
The command of Jesus is the foundation for obedience. Don’t miss this…
When Jesus commands something, He also provides the power to accomplish it.
When Jesus speaks, His word enables us to do what is otherwise impossible. Just as when Peter saw Jesus walking on water, he didn’t step out on his own initiative. He said, “Lord, if it’s you, command me to come to you on the water.” Only when Jesus said, “Come” did Peter step out of the boat.
And when Peter stepped out, his faith wasn’t in his own ability to walk on water… it was faith in the authority and power of Christ’s word. When Jesus commands something, He also provides the power to accomplish it.
We need to shift from asking God to fulfill our will and start surrendering to His. God doesn’t promise to bless every desire, but He always fulfills all of His promises. Faith isn’t about making our dreams come true. It’s about joining God in what He is doing.
The Power of Obedience
All things are possible with God. But this doesn’t mean God will fulfill any desire or ambition we have. Instead, it means He gives us the power to accomplish whatever He calls us to do, no matter how impossible it seems from our human perspective.
God is calling you to share the gospel with someone in your life. You don’t even have to search that out. He’s already commanded that to all of us in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
You might say, “But I don’t feel capable. I’m not really good with words.”
And this is where the truth applies: With man it’s impossible, but with God all things are possible.
So step out.
Maybe God is calling you to serve somewhere in ministry at church, but you don’t feel adequate. You don’t feel like you’re made for that.
Step out and do what He says. Respond to His call.
It might be trusting God with your finances. Because when we’re a church that obeys, we get to see God do incredible and amazing things.
That might be a big step of obedience, and you’re afraid to trust God with your finances. Can I encourage you? Everything you have, He’s already put in your hands. How would you be afraid to trust Him with what He’s already given you?
Praying for the Right Things
Many of us come to God asking Him to bless our plans and fulfill our desires. But true prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will rather than trying to align God’s will with our hearts.
We need to stop praying for our desires to be fulfilled and start praying for closeness with God… to know Him more. Instead of asking for riches or success, we should pray for wisdom and a heart that’s content with God’s will. We should ask for His purposes to be accomplished and for strength to do what He’s called us to do.
Our Heavenly Father wants us to obey, even when we don’t understand on this side of obedience. We may not see the full picture until eternity, but we’re called to trust His will and His Word regardless.
The Deep Water of Faith
I hope God leads us into water so deep that we can’t touch bottom, and that our only hope is just to trust Him.
That’s where we grow. That’s where we see Him in a different way. That’s where we see His work, His power, His strength, and His faithfulness in a completely different way—when we step out and can’t touch bottom, but He’s called us out and by His power, He does amazing and incredible things.
That’s where we see a different side of God, where we start trusting Him more than our fears and doubts, where we start trusting Him more than the things we want and wish for and desire.
Because when we trust God, He does incredible, incredible things.
A Prayer of Surrender
Heavenly Father, you’re good. Lord, I pray, would you call me out into deep water… deep water where you’re my only source of hope, you’re my only source of faith, where you are the only thing that I need.
God, I know that you will do great things. Lord, would you grow me and would you grow us as a church? I pray in Jesus’ name.
The Challenge
Maybe you’re struggling in this area of faith. You believe anything is possible for God, but it all just seems impossible.
As you go through your week, you might need to just talk with God and say:
“Okay, God. I’m going to stop looking to me. I’m going to stop looking to my way. I’m going to stop looking to my success or my failure, and I’m just going to start trusting you. I’m going to trust boldly. I’m going to obey faithfully. I’m going to focus on you intentionally because you are where impossible things happen. And if you call me to do something that I don’t think I can do, God, I’m going to do it. Not because I can, but because if it’s what you will, it will happen.”
What is God calling you to do that seems impossible? Whatever it is, remember that with God, all things are possible… not to fulfill your plans, but to accomplish His purpose through you.
Trust boldly. Obey faithfully. Focus on Him intentionally.
When was the last time you stepped into water so deep that your only option was to trust God completely?
