The what-ifs have loomed large and scary for a long while, haven’t they?
I wrote about this several months ago, about how 2020 was the year when I finally decided to get serious about trying to let tomorrow worry about itself. (Better late than never, right? See here and here for more on that story.)
I’m still serious about it, but I don’t want to sugarcoat my efforts. It’s often a tough mental battle, one that wears me out and keeps me up at night.
There’s so much to be concerned about these days, isn’t there? What tops my list might not even be on yours, but I think we can all agree that we are living in anxious times, and that it’s very easy to let our imaginations and fears about what might happen in the short- or long-term future get the best of us.
Here’s a quick example. Let’s say I have a slight headache some evening. I could just go to bed and hope it’s gone in the morning. Or I could start fretting. What if it’s Covid? What if we all have to quarantine? What if we run out of food or (worse yet) toilet paper or essential medications? What if one of us has to be hospitalized?
What if …
What if …
WHAT IF …
I can’t think of anything less productive than this little exercise, but once the ball starts rolling, it’s hard to stop it. I’ve been there a time or seven in recent weeks and months; perhaps you have too.
There’s another kind of what-if, though, one that Pastor Colin Smith calls the “what-ifs of faith.” A good example is found in Psalm 124:1: “What if the Lord had not been on our side? Answer, O Israel!” (Good News Translation)
Do you see it there? What if the Lord had not been on our side?
The point, of course, is that if we have accepted God’s gift of salvation and been adopted into His eternal family, God is on our side. Psalm 118:6 affirms this truth:
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (ESV)
Everything would look very different if God were not on our side, wouldn’t it? Not that everything would turn out how we want, every time or even some of the time. But if we think our situations or circumstances are difficult now, imagine what would they be like without His comfort, His direction, His grace, His peace?
Many of us have plenty to be concerned about right now—there’s no getting around that. But if you find yourself craving an antidote for the anxious what-ifs, I’d encourage you to try something that has really helped me lately.
The next time you find yourself getting caught up in an escalating cycle of what-ifs, stop and ask yourself this simple question:
“What if God were not on my side?”
It probably won’t alter your situation, but there’s a very good chance that those eight words will calm your heart and reorient your perspective, right then and there. In these uncertain times, that can make all the difference in the world.
♥ Lois
Everything would look very different if God were not on our side, wouldn’t it? Click To Tweet If we think our situations or circumstances are difficult now, imagine what would they be like without God's comfort, His direction, His grace, His peace? Click To TweetP.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee, Inspire Me Monday, #HeartEncouragement and Grace & Truth.
26 comments
Powerful message, Lois. We talk about, preach about, and write about the “what-if’s,” but this is the first time I’ve seen the phrase flipped on its head in looking at what-if as it relates to God. So thankful He is on our side and for His comfort, peace, strength, and more.
When I heard Colin Smith talk about the “what-ifs of faith” it was a huge a-ha moment for me too, Karen. 😊
Ooh, yes, this perspective does make a different, Lois! As a professional “what-if” person myself, I will use this. 🙂 I’ve been thinking how I often feel helpless when I go through the what-if scenarios and escalate to the worst case, but we are never helpless because God is always with us, even if the worst thing does happen! It’s a struggle still, but I’m glad I’m not alone with it.
No, Lisa … you certainly are not alone in this. 🙂 “We are never helpless because God is always with us, even if the worst thing does happen!” So true, and I’m so thankful! Hugs, friend.
What if God were not on our side? What a great question. Thanks for this, Lois! I certainly ask a lot of what if questions.
Hi Bethany … I can’t take credit for the question, of course, but I thought it was pretty profound when I heard it too!
That’s a great way of thinking! “What if God were not on our side?”
It was an eye-opening question for me too, Mandy. 🙂
Those “What if God hasn’t been on my side” thoughts, just make me remember and praise Him more and more for what He has done! How He has fought for me and mine! What a thought-provoking prompt! No, things don’t always turn out the way I envision them, but I am so glad He holds the story! What a wake up post, Lois! ~ Shalom, Maryleigh
Oh Maryleigh … I echo your thoughts–“How He has fought for me and mine!” I’m grateful He holds the story too … if I were in charge of writing it, what a mess it would be. 🙂
This is a perspective I needed today. Thank you.
I’m glad it was helpful to you, Lauren. 🙂
Lois, you have no idea how God has blessed this to my heart. I was so overwhelmed with discouragement, but God has used you today to reorient my perspective and calm my anxious heart. I just blogged about it. Thank you so much for encouraging me today! Love and blessings to you, my friend!
Oh Trudy … your experience with this post helped remind me that, even when I question whether this or that post should go out on whatever date, God is somehow directing even those details. 🙂 Love and hugs right back at you, my friend!
Lois, I loved, LOVE that redirecting question! I am beyond grateful that God is on my side. That truth brings great comfort and strength when I’m walking through struggles.
Me too, Jeanne. I mentioned this to another commenter, but if you have time, you might enjoy listening to Colin Smith’s sermon that I linked in the post. He goes into the “what-ifs of faith” much deeper than I did, and I thought it was a tremendously encouraging message. Hugs, friend.
It makes such a difference to know that God is on our side. No matter what we are going through it would be so much worse if we didn’t have God. I can definitely get caught up in the “what if’s”. It’s so important to focus on God and remember that he is greater.
I agree 100 percent, Lesley! Hugs, friend.
This post was written just for me. I not only spend time fretting over “what ifs”, I sometimes actually think about something that happened in the past that had a good outcome and worry about what if the situation had not gone the way it had. I not only worry about the future, I worry about the past! I need these reminders that God IS on our side and we should not waste time with fear. Thank you, Lois!
You’re welcome, Laurie! It’s interesting the places that our minds take us when we give them a little too much leeway, isn’t it? Asking “what if God were not on my side?” is so helpful when it comes to disciplining our thoughts away from fear, I think.
Amen! Let’s hear it for flipping our anxiety upside down and inside out by strengthening our faith instead of wringing our hands.
God knows the end from the beginning. I am so grateful.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
I’m so grateful for that too, Linda. Trying to be more like the birds of the air and flowers of the field can be hard–sometimes my mind just WANTS to toil and spin and all of that. But hand-wringing never accomplished anything but sore hands, did it? 🙂
Oh, those “what-ifs.” I have caught myself in the cycle of letting my anxiety take me further into the darkness if I let it. I have experienced a bit of it recently with the state of our country’s political climate. I like how your pastor reframed this to “what if God were not on my side?” That will help me as I move forward.
I know what you mean about that cycle of anxiety, Mary. If you have time, you might want to click on the link in the post and listen to Colin Smith’s whole sermon from the Unlocking the Bible radio program. I found it to be hugely helpful!
Lois, that is one powerful “What if” question and one we need to remember during challenging days.
I thought so too, Joanne. Hugs, friend.