If You’re Asked to Do the Impossible, Don’t Panic
By Rick Warren
“Get the facts at any price” (Proverbs 23:23a TLB).
Has someone ever asked you to do something you thought was impossible? Maybe a friend, a boss, or a parent came to you and wanted you to do something that seemed too big for you.
You may be facing such a request right now. You’re wondering how in the world you’ll get started.
Over the next few devotionals, I’ll share with you what the Bible says about tackling the impossible.
But let’s begin by talking about where to start.
First, don’t panic.
Follow the pattern of Daniel. In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar went to his astrologers with a desperate need for them to interpret a dream. When they couldn’t do it, he planned to execute them. Then he sent someone to get Daniel.
The Bible says, “When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact” (Daniel 2:14 NIV).
The most powerful man on the planet had ordered the assassination of Daniel — and his friends. When the king’s hit man showed up to kill him, the 17-year-old handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. Not bad for a young, teenage kid.
Daniel didn’t panic. Neither should we.
Instead of panicking, Daniel learned all the facts and sought to understand the motivation behind the king’s request.
The Bible says, “He asked the king’s officer, ‘Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel’” (Daniel 2:15 NIV).
When someone asks you to do the impossible, you need to understand why. You need all the facts.
The king was scared to death. When people are panicking, they get emotional. They start making illogical requests. You need to understand why before moving ahead.
Proverbs 23:23a says it this way: “Get the facts at any price” (TLB).
So if you’re asked to do the impossible, don’t panic. Get all the facts.
We’ll look at other steps to take when you’re in this situation in the next few devotionals.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
How has emotion clouded your judgment during a particularly difficult time?
Why is it so important to understand the motivations of those asking you to do something that seems impossible?
How have you seen God work through a seemingly impossible situation?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Unshakeable! Study Kit
You Can Thrive In Every Circumstance
Do you want to thrive in every circumstance? In the Bible, Daniel and his friends rose to top positions of leadership because they were unshakeable in their faith even though they were surrounded by a corrupt culture. Today, the world’s value system increasingly drifts further from God. To thrive, no matter what, you need to dive into scripture and learn how to be unshakeable in your faith.
In the 9-part DVD study kit, Unshakable: Thriving No Matter What Hits You, Pastor Rick helps you walk through scripture and learn how to …
• Stand strong when your world is shaken
• Stay firm when your pressured to conform
• Be bold when your beliefs are belittled
• Be confident when you’re asked to do the impossible
• Stay cool when the heat is on
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This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.