And then Gabriel vanished.

Mary, struggling to breathe, gazes heavenward. The reality of the angel’s announcement has brought her to her knees.

“I – a virgin – am to give birth to … ” She pauses, struggling to get the words out. “I’m going to give birth to … to the Son of God!” Tears stream down her face as Mary gazes again at the sky. A laugh, a-very-happy-kind-of-laugh, bubbles out of her as she shakes her head in amazement, “And, my elderly cousin Elizabeth is already in her sixth month of pregnancy!”

“For nothing will be impossible with God,” the angel had declared. (Based on Luke 1:26-37).

As Mary pondered these words so long ago, we, too, can feel the wonder of their promise: Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing.

Yet, it’s easy to doubt these words when we feel God leading us in a new direction, such as: starting our own business or going back to school, entering into ministry or running for office,  writing a book or directing the next school play. Or maybe we have trouble believing God when He says He can redeem us from our past and give us a better future.

We want to believe, but sometimes the reality of any of this coming true for us, specifically, seems unbelievably impossible, doesn’t it?

How would it change our faith if we began, right now, taking Luke 1:37 (ESV) to heart?:

For nothing will be impossible with God.

How would it change our prayer lives – and our zest for life itself – if we knew without a doubt that nothing is (and ever will be) impossible with God?

I’m asking God for a special gift this year: that we’ll never give up on whatever He has whispered into our hearts. I’ll pray specifically that as we continue to spend time with Him, He’ll give us clear direction for wherever He is leading us – and that His powerful grace will set us free from those sins that are controlling us.

Is your vision or dream too hard for God? Is it as impossible as when a virgin gave birth to the Son of God? Or when a woman, far beyond the age of childbearing, finally conceived?

During this Christmas season, believe. Because nothing is impossible with God.

What about you?

You can use a pseudonym (fake name) when commenting.

• Do you sometimes believe your situation is too difficult for God?
• Do you wonder if it’s too late (perhaps because of your age or history) for God to lead you to do something “impossible”?