Well, it has finally happened. My daughter has reached the level in math—at the advanced age of 11—where there’s nothing more I can do to help her. Recently she was struggling with her homework and showed it to me. “Mom, can you help?”

I looked at all those equations that I haven’t really had to think about since eighth grade and pretty quickly said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember how to do this. I can’t help.”

It was the first time I had to admit that to one of my kids about anything. And it was humbling. But there is something exciting about embarking on this new season. As they get older, my kids will (because they must) become more and more aware of my limitations and learn more and more to depend on God for the help they need. 

Because the good news is that God is infinitely able. There is no time or circumstance when He will have to say, “Sorry, I have no idea what to do. It’s not in my power to help you.” He created all things. He knows what is best in every way. He has the power to transform. And His desire is for our good. This is a simple truth, but one I hold to fiercely in the intense world we live in. 

God is able to put out the fires in Australia and to bring new life from the ashes. 

God is able to bring peace where there is war and to cause the nations to flourish.

God is able to overcome corrupt and oppressive governments and to use even the most power-mad despots to accomplish His purposes. (I know people in ten different countries are about to tell me why this isn’t true where they live. But He did it in Egypt, Babylon, and Rome, and He is still the same God.)

God has made many promises to the poor, refugees, widows, and orphans—and He is able to keep His promises. This is a life-changing truth for many people we work with in the Majority World. We meet Christians all the time who honestly aren’t sure if God is strong enough to overcome the witches in their area or the government that persecutes them or the poverty that is all they’ve ever known. They’ve been convinced somewhere along the line that the point of Christianity is simply to get to heaven. When we open the Bible and show them that God cares about every area of life, that He has a plan for this life now, and that He is able to bring change in their circumstances, they are amazed. When they hear stories of God transforming other communities, new hope is born in their hearts—hope that God can do the same thing where they are, hope that their actions actually matter to His kingdom. 

We all need those reminders sometimes. If your hope is floundering, I encourage you to spend some time reading and watching stories of God’s transforming power. Our recap of God’s greatest hits from our first five years is a good place to start. And I love these testimonies from churches in Southeast Asia. And this 2.5 minute video.

Confident that we’re praying to a God who is able, please pray with us this month…

  • For anything that feels too big or too hard—lift it up. 
  • That Christians around the world would have the chance to know the truth that God is able in the midst of their circumstances. 
  • For miraculous provision and deliverance as people depend on God and seek to obey Him.
  • That God will be glorified and that good will come even through suffering.
  • That God would open our eyes to the ways He is at work in our world and would renew our hope and joy in Him.