The "What If" Question

The questionable "What ifs?” They do not walk the same paths of the determined, “What if!”

“Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.'"

-Matthew 11:28

Afraid of the, “What if?” Is the fear of the unknown! Fear is crippling. It literally stops us from doing things. Of course, there is healthy fear that keeps us from doing stupid things. But, there is also unhealthy fear that keeps us from entering the promised land.

Let’s look At Abraham for example. The man of the ultimate faith, experienced unhealthy fear. He went to Egypt because of the famine, and ended up with Hagar. God never told him to go there. Then he panicked over Sarah’s beauty and asked her to lie about her identity as his wife, God never told him to go there either. He does this not only once, but twice with two different kings.

Before, we judge Abraham, let’s examine our own hearts. I’m an Abraham kind of girl. I just love this man. Someday, when my time here on earth is over, I’m going to sit down with Abraham and have a long conversation with him. I just love his attitude, his passion, and love for God. He believed God. Even when what God was asking of him was absolutely insane, and scary. I want to be like him in character. He was a great man, despite his failures.

I can understand why he would panic, and also I can clearly identify his mistakes. So, easy after the fact right? I bet he did the same. The truth is we do it, too.

Yesterday, I had one of those, “What if?” Moments! It was suddenly, I was driving, and a thought crossed my mind. That thought went like this, “What if what God wants you to do will bring you sorrow? What if what he asked of you will be painful? You sure you can trust this?” Ok, there was more but it’s personal, I’m just going to give you a “glimpse” here. Those, “What ifs?” We’re coming fast and furious. I literally started to panic. One, “What if,” came with another scenario being played out in my mind. I should be a movie director, with that kind of wild imagination!

Then, I came to a red light. By this time, my posture was affected. I had crunched down in my seat, both hands on steering wheel (I never drive with both hands) and my arms now leaning on the steering wheel for support. My head was down for a second, because my back and head hurt. I had talked myself right down to a panic mode. I felt all this weight on my back, I was physically hurting. Then, another thought crossed my mind, along with a voice. The voice of God. “My child, “What if! this beautiful gift I’m giving you will bring you joy unspeakable and what if it brings you to fulfill your destiny? Straighten yourself up, I don’t bring disaster and I don’t bring confusion. I make the paths of my children straight. My plans and purposes bring you a hope and a future. Give me your burden, give me your fears, they are not meant for you to carry. And trust your, “What ifs” to me. I will not ever fail you!”

I looked up, and across from me was a church. I saw the cross on top of that church. Immediately, this passage above came to my mind. God never intended for us to carry our own burdens. He wants us to leave them at the cross. We all experience those, “What if?” Moments! I realized yesterday, God cares about those moments of fear. We are human. As humans we panic over the unknown. I realized yesterday all I was afraid of wasn’t even real. They were scenarios placed there by the enemy, Satan. This is what he did in the garden of eden. He placed the, “What if?” In the mind of Eve. She bought into it and lost everything. It cost her beautiful home, and everything she had. A life of luxury, joy, peace, care free. To a life of toil, pain, and death. Her body would get old, wrinkled, and eventually turn back to dust. Her terrible mistake cost her everything. You know the worst part of her mistake? God would walk in the Garden of Eden and meet with her and Adam. They were in His presence every single day. They heard the voice of God audible. Now that was gone, too. How painful was that? All due to the, “What if?”

I can’t be the same again after I have an experience like I did yesterday. I allowed Satan to place a thought in my mind. That thought started a downward spiral of, “What ifs?” Each thought scarier then the other. To the point my whole body caved into a position of defeat. Thank God the Holy Spirit in me began speaking truth into my soul. And to seal the deal, a church, with a cross smack in front of me to remind me who I was in Him. God provided the red light, the “Stop, Teresa, and wait on Me. Don’t go down a path of negative, 'What ifs?' This is not of Me. You are believing lies.”

Listen please. God never ever puts us or others in danger. That’s not God. God doesn’t do hateful things nor leads us to do hateful, cruel, and mean things. He leads us down paths that might be challenging, or difficult but they serve a purpose. It’s to trust in Him, to bless others, and live according to the great plans and purposes He has for our lives. He has a great future for us.

I admit, I have to feel in control, I mean this in a positive way. I can’t stand the un known. I have to know the tiniest of details. I’m a person that doesn’t like negative surprises. I have to be prepared.

But, when God leads me down a path where He’s just showing me a moment by moment plan? I’m all into a panic mode. But, the life of faith is not knowing the moment by moment plan. God told Abraham to leave his home, his family, his people, his everything. He told him He would show him where to go. Abraham did just that. In his going to where God was leading him, he made some major mistakes. He panicked and went on his own way of understanding and it cost him a lot of pain.

Please, understand, our mistakes are costly. They end up causing us a lot of pain and sorrow. They cause us regrets. Many times they are fatal. God showed mercy to Abraham but he still had to pay a great price. I love Sarah. Sarah never said a word against her husband. Never! Imagine he gave her away to two men. What man does that? And what woman wouldn’t tell him off, or be deeply hurt by his actions? Thank God, He protected her against those two kings. Abraham, her husband didn’t do it. But God did. He cared for Sarah despite the cowardly move by Abraham.

Remember, no good thing comes forth from our panic mode. Just like God caused that red light to come my way yesterday, God still places red stop warnings along our path. Let’s not entertain the lies of the enemy to come and steal, kill, and destroy the perfect plan of God for our lives. Let’s leave our burdens of fear, worry, anxiety, dread, confusion, whatever word you want to insert here. Let’s leave them at the cross. That cross represents power and might. It conquered death, fear, and our sins. We have been set free by what Jesus Christ did on that cross. We are conquerors, too!

MEDITATION: "Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies." -Zechariah 4:6 (NLT) There is a perfect plan for your life. Don’t let it be stolen by the “What Ifs?” Go after all God has for you. Fearless and with faith. Don’t ever give up. Stand on the promises of God. God is real and God looks for hearts that will do what He asks of them. Those kind of lives are blessed beyond measure because they allow God to lead them by faith, even when they had a thousand of, “ What ifs?”

Mediate on this truth today. The questionable What ifs?” They do not walk the same paths of the determined, “What if!!” Don’t miss out on what God has because you turned the, “What if! Into questions of fear and doubts.

Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Thank You for being the God who can handle all my questions. You see the deepest part of me and know me well. Thank You for Your understanding. Help me to always remember You have not given me the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. You, O Lord, are my Lighthouse when I can't see. You are my Guide and my Hope, and I will trust You no matter what comes my way. I will stand on Your promises because I know Your Word is faithful and true and You always fulfill Your Word. Be with me as I walk the path You have set before me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

#TopicArticle #question #questioning #Abraham #anxiety #fear #whatif #truth #destination