When We Can’t, He can!

My family fell apart a year ago. Roots of unforgiveness and old wounds overtook my family. I couldn’t understand why my family couldn’t get together and discuss those ‘old wounds that have kept us in chains for decades.

I knew it was not God’s will to live like our ancestors once lived. Most of them were lost and didn’t know Jesus. But we do.

Having been bought and paid for by Jesus on the cross, we are a brand-new generation that God has created to live as His children.

Why then couldn’t we live that way? So what is holding us back: our pride, unforgiveness, old wounds?

One night, I cried out to the Lord and asked Him to show me why we couldn’t be the family He created us to be. What was stopping us?

Then, the Lord whispered in the silence, “You can’t do anything, but I can!” The Lord reassured me that I needed to surrender this burden to Him and leave it in His hands. And believe with expectancy that He’s working in our family even when we cannot see it. He assured me that my family would one day become the family He created us to be.

So, I took a step of faith and began thanking Him daily for the work He was doing in my family. I got up early every morning for a year and thanked Him for his work in my family. Although I didn’t see any change, I believed in my Father’s promise.

One day as I was reading Luke chapter 5, the Lord reminded me about the story of the paralyzed man. His companions believed that if they brought their friend to Jesus, He would heal him. So, they formed a plan to get their friends to Jesus no matter what.

When the friends arrived where Jesus was staying, it was already too late. The house was packed. But they didn’t give up. They had an idea; they decided to remove some tiles from the roof and lower their friend through the hole. It was dangerous, but they could only see their friend’s need for healing.

When Jesus saw their faith, he was moved with compassion. Jesus not only healed the paralytic, but He also forgave his sins. Of course, the friends wanted Jesus to heal their friend. But Jesus didn’t settle for simply healing the body; He tried to recover the paralyzed man’s soul. The faith of these men was so strong that it touched Jesus to go beyond healing and straight to the cross.

The Lord showed me that all I have to do is to stand in the gap for my family and hope (wait with expectancy) for what He will do. When my strength faded, and I lost hope, the Lord placed a group of women in my Compel Critique group to stand in the gap for my family and myself. Just like Aaron held Moses’ hands when he grew tired, these women of faith held my hands and did not let me give up.

When I woke up, I thanked the Lord for His love, faithfulness, and promise to restore my family. But, as I was praying, a peace that surpassed all understanding surrounded me, and as I stood in silence, I heard, “I’m working behind this storm. It will soon be over. So, keep believing because when you can’t, I can.”

 Friends, we sometimes feel discouraged and want to give up, but let me encourage you that God is always present in our lives. Even before we ask, He knows what we need. So don’t give up. Instead, hold on to your hope.

Father, thank you for showing me a glimpse of your promise. Thank you for showing me that my family will become who you created us to be one day. Help me, Lord, to keep my eyes on you, not on my circumstances. In Jesus’ sweet name, amen!