In Mark 12 the Bible tells of a time when some men were sent to try to trap Jesus. They asked Him directly about taxes - should the Israelite people pay Romans taxes? They knew that there was no good way out of the question: if Jesus said the people shouldn't have to pay taxes, He'd be in big trouble with the Roman government. If He said they should pay taxes, then the people would revolt against Him. It seemed like He was trapped in an IMPOSSIBLE situation - two ways to go, and neither was good!
Sometimes I've noticed I'll hit a situation where it'll seem like there's no good answer - for example, some difficult situation where I have to make one of two or three choices, and all the options I can take ALL seem like they aren't good choices, having bad consequences. It can tempt me to be anxious and tempt me to fear whatever step I have to take next. Another phrase for it is called "Being in a 'bind'."
And I saw that in this situation where Jesus was being questioned - it seemed like there was NO good exit for Him.
But in Mark 12:16-17 - when I see Jesus' answer there, that there was a Word from God which was the PERFECT Word for that situation, which was a way out of a situation which looked like it clearly had zero good options:
"Whose image is on this coin? Give to Ceasear what is Ceasars and God what is God's"
The Holy Spirit gave Jesus that Word - the perfect word; Such a simple word which defused what looked like an impossible situation.
And it encouraged me - we can sometimes feel like there's an impossible situation, but there's NO situation which God doesn't have the perfect answer to, and a way for us through it. Nobody ever came to Jesus with a problem where He didn't have an answer, and Jesus never went to the Father without receiving an answer. And it blessed me to realize - I don't have to either!
The only reason why I've struggled so much previously is because I didn't go to God to get that answer. But if I go - He will provide. It's similar to when Jesus was asked about the adulteress in John 8 - another tricky question. But Jesus stooped on the ground and didn't answer right away. So they pressed Him. What was He doing? I think He was hearing from the Father in that moment!
It's also similar to when a crowd of people tried to throw Jesus off a cliff. It says He "passed through their midst" (Luke 4:28-30)
How did ALL the people who filled a whole synagogue let one man pass through them? I picture it as He just walked through this big crowd, and God put a restraint on every single person there, they couldn't touch Him... perhaps they were sort of frozen - like how God kept Lion's mouths shut for Daniel.
It showed me that God will provide the perfect way out in impossible situations - He will cause things, He will restrain things, He will give supernatural strength we didn't have before, He will open ways, He will close paths. Things which we can't even think of!
Isa 43:19 "Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert."
God will make a way where there was no way.
Impossible situations will come - it looks like NO good path forward is there.
But God will provide.
And I see the challenge for me is: Praise the Lord BEFORE I see the way, because God will make a way.
Isa 43:21 "The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise."
He did for Jesus and He'll do it for us.
Praise God!