What if?

Do you ever wonder, “What if?” What if I can’t handle a situation, or if things don’t work out the way I had hoped, or some disaster occurs? How about relationships, or health issues or financial problems? Do I look at all the possibilities and think the worst? Anything might go wrong. Anything is possible. Do I see flaws before they appear, like searching for dust under the carpet? “What if?” is living in anticipation of what might, or might not be. Where is my focus? What do I fear? What calamities are just around the corner?

This is not the Christian way. This is putting obstacles in the way of our walk with God, and placing before ourselves an array of stumbling blocks, setting ourselves a snare to walk into. God is bigger than this. We need to focus on Jesus, and ask Him for guidance before turning our thoughts to all the possibilities. Let’s not look for things that haven’t yet appeared, like looking down a bottomless well, or looking for gremlins in the dark. Let’s look to Him who is greater than any problem. Anyone can be pessimistic. It’s not difficult.

Looking to Jesus is not difficult either. We’re called to trust in the Lord with all our heart, putting our hope in Him. If we take our eyes off our “What if?” and stop looking for elusive answers, we can be open to the voice of God, ‘like one calling in the wilderness, “prepare the way of the Lord”’ (Mark 1:3). Then we’re not open to a bombardment of negative thoughts which contaminate the mind, but preparing the soil for the seed of God. We’re transferring the burden of responsibility from ourselves on to Him.

The Light of God disperses all our confusion. Let’s look through the darkness of uncertainty towards the eternal light that shines for all believers. ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’ (1 Peter 1:7). Let’s take the key that is offered by Jesus, which can open any door, and ask Him to guide us through this maze of uncertainties. After all our deliberations there is really only one way. Jesus said, “I am the way.” ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it”’ (Isaiah 30:21). ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. For You are with me’ (Psalm 23:4). Is He? Do we believe this, or not?

Let us throw away all our uncertainties, and eliminate “What if?” Hold on to that which is sure and steadfast. We can’t hold on to what we don’t know. It’s like holding a slippery eel. Let’s stand on the ground we do know, and trust Him.

‘And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way”’ (extract from a poem by Minnie Louise Haskins which was quoted by King George VI in his Christmas speech 1939).