There Is No Problem Too Big…

Humanities or Science, Engineering, Medicine, Civil services or Law: what was it going to be? My younger daughter had just completed her class X exam. She had to make a choice and it was indeed a major decission for her to make. I have always believed that 16 is a little too early in life to commit oneself to a particular stream.

These conversations transported me back in time to June, 1973. I had just entered class IX and I too had to make the choice. Those days most bright kids opted for the Science stream and aspired to either become a Doctor or an Engineer. I loved Mathematics and I was a reasonably good student. I had made up my mind to take up the Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics combination.

So, on the first day of school, I stood up and confidently announced that I would be taking up Science with Mathematics. Given my academic record thus far, no one should have grudged me my preference. But I was in for a shock. The teacher abruptly stopped writing, looked up and bluntly said “not possible. You are blind. You can hardly see beyond your nose. You will not be able to do the Science practicals, draw the diagramms, maintain the journals and follow the teaching from the blackboard. Science is a definite no no for you.” I was shattered and extremely disappointed. I had certainly not bargained for this when I had left home that morning.

This seemed like a total reversal of fortunes. I did not have an option B. I was not particularly interested in Humanities. The future looked bleak. I was devastated. That evening, when I shared the developments of the day with my parents, they too appeared to be a little upset. My mother who was a great believer in the Lord Jesus Christ suggested that we should pray and take the matter to Him. She told me that God has a definite plan for each of us. He knows what is best. Of course, at that point in time, I was not buying any of it.

We were down on our knees and my mother prayed with feeling. The next morning my parents and I decided to visit the school and meet the Principal and explore possibilities. He was understanding and promised to see as to what could be done.
My parents told me that we should continue praying and wait upon the Lord. They said that God would show us the way forward in His time.

About 2 weeks later, the Principal came to the class with the final list of students who hadqualified to take up Science and the ones who would be doing Humanities. Before making the much awaited announcement, he asked me to stand up. He said that the school management had decided as a special case to create a combination of subjects for me comprising History, Economics and Mathematics. I was delighted. My mother was right. There is a God who is sovereign and who is in control.

The song writer is spot onwhen he says:

There is no problem to big that God cannot solve.
There is no mountain to tall that God cannot move.
There is no storm too great that God cannot calm.
There is no sorrow too deep that God cannot soothe.