God Makes the Impossible Possible
Written By Silvia Y, Indonesia
“So, what are you going to do now that you’re done with your Master’s?” That was a question I was repeatedly asked after completing my Master’s in International Relations in China.
I had just returned to Indonesia, and it seemed natural that I should apply to a big company or enterprise. After all, they would offer me the highest salary.
That decision could be assumed for most people. But somehow, I didn’t hanker after it. I’m not very sure why, but I signed up for the civil servant test in my country to become a diplomat. Although I was aware of the stigma—that an Indonesian Chinese like me would not be accepted for the job—I wanted to contribute directly to my country.
Of course, my friends and family members thought that my decision to take the test was very ridiculous and would not end well. They advised me against it and told me to change my mind before it was too late.
I understood their concerns—very few Chinese descendants in Indonesia are able to become civil servants. However, it was not out of sheer spontaneity that I decided to take the test.
I remember one Sunday after church service when I sat alone and prayed for God’s direction. I was worried about taking the test, and had asked God if taking the civil servant test was the right thing to do.
Immediately, I felt a sense of peace within me—I knew that God had said yes. In Colossians 3:15, we are commanded to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” God may not have answered my prayers audibly. However, I knew it was His Spirit giving me peace, comforting me and assuring me to go on.
God affirmed my decision to listen to Him. After four consecutive tests that I took over a period of three months, I was chosen from the thousands of people who applied. Others would say that I was accepted because of my ability, but I am certain that it was because God had guided me through each phase.
Learning French
Recently, I was reminded again that God is always in control. After praying earnestly, I decided to take on a Master’s program offered by my office. This time, I hit a seemingly insurmountable problem: the lessons would be taught in French and I would need to master the language first.
The last time I attended classes, I could barely pass the elementary A2 level. To take a Master’s that was offered in French, I had to obtain a French language certificate at B2 level.
Fortunately for me, there was a two-month-long preparation class I could take prior to taking the official B2 level language test. The class was a very intensive one; it lasted from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for six days a week—our only break being Saturday.
Each day, I would go back home after class and pray that God would give me the necessary wisdom to understand all the French readings. Compared to my three other classmates, I was behind and I struggled to catch up.
My colleagues—who were of another faith—jokingly said that they wished I would fail the language test so that I could continue organizing the big forum we were planning for next year. I shared this with another friend at office—who belonged to the same faith as them—and she said: “Let’s see whose prayer would be answered—yours or theirs.”
It was probably a nonchalant remark but it impacted me. I felt like failing the French test would show that I was worshipping the “wrong” God in their eyes. I poured out my worries to God and again, God gave me peace and assurance that I could do it.
This time, God used other believers to speak to me. My supportive parents kept reminding me that I would be able to do it because God was with me. Each time I prayed, I became more convinced that God was in control.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul reminds us that God can use our weaknesses for His glory: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
The Power of Prayer
Since then, I’ve learned to ask God what He wants to do with my life before considering the most appealing option in my limited human eyes. Even though God’s answer may seem impossible when we look at it with our own finite wisdom, I have faith and peace in Christ. If God tells me to go ahead and pursue it, I know everything will be fine and I just have to obey.
We really should not underestimate the power and importance of prayer. Our prayers may not be answered immediately or in the way we hope they would be, but we can trust that our faithful Father hears and answers them.
Thanks to the Lord Jesus, I am flying to the southwest part of France this September for my Master’s in French Art, Language and Culture at the University of La Rochelle. I am sharing my story because I cannot keep the goodness of God for myself. I hope my story will encourage you and serve as a reminder that God never fails in His promises to take care of you.
Let us strive to live a life in which we make decisions that align to God’s truth and divine will. Taste and see how good our God is, for He provides more than what our heart desires. All glory goes to God above!
I had to attend French cooking lessons for the course I was studying ….
I was training to be a chef and as a prerequisite I had to learn the art of making cuisine in French seeing that most five star restaurants and hotels wrote their menus in French ….
I had not studied the language before an just taking in all the nouns in the language which is the basic lesson in any foreign language proved to be a task !!!
I never finished my cookery course as I dropped out half way through the course for reasons I could not tell my parents who had signed me up for the school ….
later after struggling with a lot of issues mentally I was diagnosed with depression and had to go to rehab for treatment …
one again I had to learn life lessons I was not prepared for and my residency there was tough ….
the therapists kept drilling us to accept that we were in rehab and the only way out was to chant this mantre over and over again .. I have a problem !!!
imaging that they treated us like we were phyco and my only remedy was to tell myself that no matter how much they treated us like we was loco I was going to get better and leave this nasty place …
looking backwards I’m kinda glad God used that interval to show me just how broken I was and that the therapists weren’t out to get me ……
I gained a new appreciation for what it takes to treat the mentally I’ll and those suffering from addiction and when look back some of the patients were even more spaced out than I was !!!!
I still thank God he led me through the whole rehabilitation process and it could had been worse if I had fought it myself through shear willpower …
now im still taking medication for depression and most times I can cope but like learning to cook in French I take hard times to the Lord and he leads me to fresh pastures like David in psalms 23 !!!
Thank you for sharing this story. This is the second time that I’ve read it because I need encouragement to do what I have been hired to do. I know and feel my limitations and am standing on the promise that His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Please I need prayers ,I currently applied at the university and I only lack 2 points to get in and study the course of my choice.I belive the Lord can make the impossible possible.
Please pray for me. I am having hard time praying. I am 50yrs old and I want to get my associates degree but I have been going through a lot of setbacks: unemployment , depression. One of my sisters has been very negative to me. I am having a hard time praying lately. I just got rejected for a job that I really wanted. Struggling with jealousy and forgiveness. It seems like others who don’t give GOD a 2nd thought get what they want. Very hard to be patient; been waiting so long.
Hi Tracie, thank you for sharing. We’d be praying for you! In the meantime, we’d thought this devotion from James would speak to the situation you’re facing: https://ymi.today/2018/03/joy-in-trials/