Finding joy in the Impossible situations
In one of my recent flights I watched the movie, The Impossible. The movie is the recounting of the ordeal a Spanish family endured during the tragic tsunami in Thailand in December, 2004. The Belon-Alvarez couple Maria and Enrique were enjoying their Christmas vacation with their three sons when they found themselves in the midst of the human drama.
This post is about the moment after the tsunami hit and Maria found herself wounded and bleeding not to mention tetanus infected from the filth of the water. After the waters have calmed the entire area was a desolate waste - the resort was gone, the roads have vanished. Finding their way to town and the hospital was a challenge.
Maria found her oldest son Lucas who although traumatized has been spared of any serious injury. Together they headed for the city to get Maria to the hospital. On their way they heard the voice of a child crying out for help. Maria's maternal instincts and being a doctor wanted to search for the child. Lucas overwhelmed drowned out the child's voice and protested that they should move on.
His mother insisted on looking for the child even as Lucas protested. Only when his mother told him that wouldn't you want someone to look for this child if he happened to be your brother?, did Lucas change course. Eventually they found the boy in the rubble. Now Lucas had to carry him while his mother leaned on him as they head for the city.
You can watch the rest of this really good movie. But this post is meant to highlight what happened when the parent's of the child found him. Lucas looking at the distance saw the boy being lifted up by his father as both were joyfully celebrating their reunion. Lucas filled with joy could only look back at how he has been used to bring this family together again.
It's amazing how God uses us in very inconvenient moments. And how we struggle with His ways of using us. Not until we see the purpose of why He has allowed us to be used in that moment. It is in these moments where we can closely connect to God and connect others to Him.
And like Lucas, when we find ourselves in our moments of inconvenience we struggle, strain and complain. The key is to realize that even when frazzled joy will come as God reveals the greater reason for the present situation.
The story reminds me of the words of the apostle Paul who while incarcerated, mistreated, shipwrecked and have found even detractors and false teachers he declares:
"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,..." Philippians 1:8
How can he say this because he was very clear about the purpose for why God has allowed these things to happen to him. He writes:
"As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." Philippians 1: 13-14
His present suffering caused the Gospel to spread further. Whatever you're going through get the right perspective. Knowing that God has a purpose that is yet to be revealed is the key to finding joy in the impossible circumstances we face.
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