What if - Part 2

In case you missed it, I’m continuing from my previous blog on how we can redirect our, “What if,” thoughts to an, “Even if,” mindset. In Part 1, I described how our fears, worries and heartache can make it difficult to trust God and in His goodness. If you want to get caught up, click here, otherwise let’s move on with Part 2 on how we can develop an “Even if” kind of faith by growing our relationship with God.

I shared how I could easily be in the elite status of frequent flyer miles for how often I can let my mind travel to all of the possible scenarios that could happen when it comes to my kids, my marriage or even everyday life. What I’m learning and trying to apply is that I don’t need a bag packed and ready to go when my thoughts take flight. What I need is to trust God, even if my worst fears come true.

To trust God, is to trust His process. That’s going to come from being intentional at learning to recognize Him. Think about it, the more we get to know someone, the more familiar we are with them and their ways. It’s the same with God. The more we recognize God and how He moves, the more we begin to trust Him. That trust leads to knowing that we can persevere. The more we persevere, the more our hope grows. And this isn’t a one-time thing. The more we go through this process, the more we see and recognize God. It builds our hope and trust that God is who He says He is and that He is with us and for us. Always.

This might be the part where you might tell me that it’s easier said than done. And if I were with you right now, I would look you in the eye and say, “I know. I’m there with you.” But I also know this, you and I can’t let the lies of our fears mask the truth of God’s promises. I love how Paul encourages us in Philippians:

“Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus. In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable. Put into practice what you learned and received from me, both from my words and from my actions. And the God who gives us peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9 - GNT

I need to remind myself of two very important statements in that scripture. First, we don’t need to worry. Second, we need to fill our minds with things that are true. God’s Truth is our powerful weapon against lies, including lies from the enemy. We forget that God is already in control - and we aren’t.

If we continue with all the potential what ifs, we aren’t going to make the situation any better. We aren’t going to prevent anything and we definitely aren’t preparing ourselves in a positive way. What we do need to is trust the process, even if our worst fears come true, we need to know that God is always good. God is always in control.

This is hard when it doesn’t feel like we have God’s tangible presence in front of us. But getting to recognize His character and how He moves in situations comes from reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, and looking for Him in our daily lives.

It’s easy to get caught up in our circumstances and not invest in getting to know who God is. Or, maybe your situation is so hard that you’ve distanced yourself from Him. I understand. So does God. But let me tell you this as a friend and fellow traveler to What If Island. God is and will always be in the midst of all that you’re experiencing. He’s still actively working on your behalf. He is God and He loves you. So when our what ifs, become even if, we find rest.