Possible, but not Easy

My sweet friend, Ashley Lawler, has a thought-provoking sign above her fireplace that reads,

Faith makes things possible, not easy.

How I identified with that quote this year! Specifically the end of this past semester and then every single second of every minute of every day of this summer.

When Jesus called me to have faith and to step out and trust Him, He never promised that it would be an easy ride.

I have not called you to where it's easy, He said to me, this past January.

I've learned that it's pointless to feel sorry for myself when things don't seem to be looking up. Getting upset is normal, but do I let my disappointments draw me to work even harder to have the faith to which He has called me? Or do I stay put down, in my pit of despair?

There is a cool image that a friend/pastor brough to my mind a couple weeks ago.

I had just had the worst week of my summer. I had encountered many closed doors and many answers of "No." I was about to give up. Yes, I was at the halfway point of fund-development, but things just did not seem to be looking up.

That was when my friend brought this vision to me. Remember the part in the Facing the Giants movie when the coach is making the team captain do the "Death Crawl" at football practice? The team has so much incredible potential, but the attitude of its leader stunk. (And to use a line from my favorite movie of all time - Remember the Titans - "Attitude reflect leadership, captain.")

The coach called on the captain to do the death crawl as far as he could. Remember how he thought he could only get to the 50-yd-line? He ended up in the end zone, baby. He underestimated his potential.

And look at how the coach acted toward him.

At first, the captain was OK, carrying the other player on his back without touching his knees to the ground. As it became more difficult, the coach encouraged him, "Keep going, Brock! You can do it!" And then, as Brock's strength seemed to fail him and he said, "I can't go any more... I gotta stop and rest," the coach yelled, "Don't stop now... negotiate with your body for more strength. Do not stop until you have done your best! I want your best!!" The coach got down on the ground, crawling along with Brock, continually encouraging him on until he could go no farther.

And there he was... in the end zone. He didn't think it was possible. He didn't think he had the strength. His attitude was failing, but he got encouragment from his coach: "God has gifted you with the ability of leadership. Don't waste it!" He had learned the importance of perseverance.

That is how I have seen myself this summer. Just going and going, as hard as I could, until there was no strength left, and then finding supernatural strength from Him (and learning all along that every ounce of that strength came originally from Him).

And God is my coach, first lightly encouraging me, then getting right there, down in the middle of it all, yelling "Don't stop now Corrie! This is possible through Me. I have called you to hard faith, not easy apathy!"

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As I walked into work that next morning, I felt like a new person.
I walked through the parking lot, singing "Great is Thy Faithfulness."
And I had peace.
And then I found that just when I thought I could not go any farther, God took over and began to show up in huge, huge ways. Incomprehensible ways. And all I had to do was sit there and watch.

I was in the end zone.

Faith makes things possible, not easy.