- Matthew 17:14-21 - And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
- John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 - ...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
There is nothing impossible for God. No obstacle confuses Him or creates difficulties for Him. Even though we know that He reigns over everything, keeping this perspective is sometimes difficult for us—just like the disciples in today's passage. When difficulties arise, we often shift our focus. During trials, we tend to take our eyes off the Lord and focus only on our problems. The more we look at our situation, the bigger it seems in our eyes. We incorrectly evaluate our own abilities. During hard times, we start to rely on our own strength and skills. The truth is that our own resources are not enough to handle life's trials. However, God's possibilities are infinite, His power is inexhaustible, and His wisdom is perfect. We view obstacles as insurmountable barriers. The Lord can demonstrate His great power through our difficulties. In such moments, our faith grows, and we come to know our Heavenly Father more deeply. Let us start each day with a mind focused on Christ; let us rely not on our own abilities, but on Him, and trust that God is in control of everything.
Reflection
What obstacle are you trying to overcome with your own strength today, and are you ready to surrender it into the Lord's hands?
