At the beginning of each year, I choose a word to guide me throughout the months ahead. I specifically pick a word that I hope will help me grow closer to God. This year my word is “unimaginable.”
You see, last year when I found out I was pregnant, I began to think more about my future after graduation. The goals, dreams, or career trajectory I once began to be undesirable. I began dreaming of a career that would let me spend as much time as possible with my baby once she was born.
The problem was (or is) that I am not entirely sure what career to pursue that would allow me to have the best of both worlds. There may not be one out there, but I know that things will be different now that I have a baby girl on the way. This, as you might imagine, has led me to ask many questions about what the future holds for me, my husband, and our baby girl.
Normally, I would let this stress me out. Do not get me wrong; I have stressed out about this, but I chose the word “unimaginable” so that I could practice surrendering my future to God because the “perfect job” or “perfect fit” may be something I cannot currently imagine. In scripture, we see God doing the unimaginable all the time. In other words, God has done and continues to do things that our human minds could never imagine. So, whenever I begin to stress about my future, I read the following stories or passages to remind myself that God can do the unimaginable.
First, I’ll break down the story of the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-25).
Zechariah and Elizabeth, his wife, were childless because they were both old. Although the chances of them having a child seemed low, Zechariah and Elizabeth still prayed. Here’s where the unimaginable happens.
An angel appeared to Zechariah and said to him, “do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John” (Luke 1:13).
Even Zechariah was unsure that this was even possible considering his and Elizabeth’s ages. “Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years’” (Luke 1:18).
But through God, Elizabeth became pregnant despite her and her husband’s old age.
Next, there’s the annunciation of the Lord (Luke 1:28-37).
Mary was visited by an angel from God who told her that she would conceive and give birth to a son—Jesus, the son of God. But this didn’t make sense to Mary. “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34).
The angel explains what seems unimaginable to the human mind. “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
The angel even uses the unimaginable thing that happened to Zechariah and Elizabeth show Mary what God can do. The angel says, “even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:36-37).
For Mary—and us too—it seems unimaginable that a virgin would conceive a child, but for God, who found favor with Mary, the unimaginable became reality.
Then, there’s the death and resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:1-46).
Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, was seriously ill. His sisters send for Jesus in hopes that He can come and heal their brother. Jesus, however, stays where He is for two more days before heading to Bethany, where Lazarus, Mary, and Martha are from.
When Jesus arrives at Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha says, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). To this, Jesus replies, “Your brother will rise from the dead” (John 11:23).
Martha understands this, explaining that her brother will rise in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus, however, replies with, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).
Later on, Mary, like Martha, tells Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). Jesus weeps knowing that His friend Lazarus is dead, but when visiting the tomb, He commanded that Martha move the stone at Lazarus’ tomb. Martha, trying to explain to Jesus says, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39).
To this, Jesus replies, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). Soon after, Jesus thanks our Heavenly Father for listening to His prayer, He calls Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Jesus has done the unimaginable; Lazarus is raised from the dead.
Do not let your human mind determine that there are no other possibilities or outcomes. Do not let your human mind determine that nothing can be done about a situation. We have a God that does the unimaginable all the time. Remain faithful to Him.
There are many stories in the Bible that show God doing the unimaginable. What is your favorite?
