“Doing the impossible” and “Conquering the world!”

These are just a few of my ambitions…And yet, in conversations with a few friends in the past few months, I’ve come to realize these phrases by themselves are not necessarily admirable goals. For example, if one strives to conquer the world, and yet has no regard for those he/she plows over in the process, then what does that say for the method of attack? Careless and haphazard. In the same way, if one says, “I’m embarking on an impossible task” and yet refuses to accept training or heed the advice of those who have gone before, how much longer and more painful the task will be, and most likely not as successful as was originally hoped.

And in both cases, if we set out to conquer the world, or do what is impossible without surrendering it to the One who knows the situation and knows us, then we will surely fail.
Perhaps an additional phrase should be attached. Something along the lines of “Doing the impossible, within God’s Plans…” or “As God leads…”

There is something reassuring about a “controlled impossible.” Doing the impossible is not just about doing crazy things, but maturely handling what no one else wants to. We have to be wise about taking on challenges that others are afraid of. It’s not easy to find that balance sometimes – and often it’s not as glamorous as “doing the impossible” initially sounds. It means a lot more hard work than you originally signed up for. At least that’s what I’ve found! But, in the end, when we realize it was nothing we did, and it was All God, and when we see that it is better than we could have ever imagined, it is then that we realize it was all worth it.