Facing the “What Ifs”

 Acknowledge your fear and choose to trust God.   

Whatever it is, acknowledge it honestly and make an intentional choice to trust the God of the universe.  I’m not saying: Bury your head in the sand; ignore it; nothing bad will ever happen to you.  What I am saying is: Whatever your fear is, do whatever you can do that is within your power to effectively minimize the risk.  Then, with every ounce of faith you have inside you, trust God for the things that are outside of your control. 

Let me say this clearly:  Do what you can do to minimize the risk.  Then, trust God for the things that only God can do, the things that are outside of your control.  I will give you an example in Scripture … 

Remember David who fought Goliath?  When David was just a young shepherd boy, he was chosen to be the next king of Israel.  It’s not a big shocker that this did not sit well with the current king sitting on the throne, King Saul.  Saul felt very threatened by this young up-and-comer, David.  Saul gave the order: “I want you to hunt down David and kill him!”  So David spent month after month hiding out in the hills, running for his life.  How did he overcome the fear? 

He said, “When I am afraid … In other words, sometimes it’s just too much for me.  And you can say that, too.  “When I’m afraid about losing my job or losing my house, when I’m afraid of what the future might hold …”  David said, “I will trust in You.”  “I choose to trust that You are in control of all the things that are out of my control. 

David said, “In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.” (Psalm 56:3-4)  Just say, “God, here’s what I’m afraid of, but I choose to trust You no matter what.  In God I trust; I will not be afraid!”  

One time Jesus was asleep on a small boat when suddenly a big storm came up.  The winds were fierce and the waves were pounding the boat. The disciples got all upset.  They said, “Jesus, wake up!  We’re about to die!”  Jesus got up and simply spoke to the storm.  He said, “Peace, be still.”  Instantly, the wind was quiet and the Sea of Galilee became as smooth as glass.  Now, the reason Jesus was able to remain calm in that situation was because He had peace inside Himself.  In other words, He was in the storm, but He didn’t let the storm get into Him.  You can be in the storm, but don’t let the storm get into you. 

Peace is not the absence of trouble.  Peace is not the absence of conflict.  You can have trouble and conflict all around you on the outside, yet have real peace on the inside.  Yes, you can be in the storm, but don’t let the storm get into you! 

Somebody may be rude to you on the phone.  You may want to jump down their throat.  Instead say, “No, I’m not going to allow this to upset me.  I’ve got a gentle spirit.  I’m cool, calm, and confident.”

Or perhaps your boss doesn’t give you the credit you deserve.  You didn’t get the big promotion you were hoping for.  Say something like, “That’s okay.  I know God is in control.  I know God has something better in store for me.”

Maybe you say, “Well, Jeff, I’m upset because this man walked out of our relationship.  It was wrong.  It was just so unfair.  I want to call him up and let him have a piece of my mind.”  No, if you’ll keep your gentle spirit, God will bring somebody better into your life.  He’ll take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it around and use it to your advantage.  But you’ve got to do your part and stay calm and confident.  Don’t live upset and worried and frustrated.”        

You can be like the Apostle Paul.  Paul experienced all kinds of heartache.  People did unfair things to him, others lied about him.  But he said, “In spite of all these things, we are more than conquerors.”  That’s the kind of attitude that we need to have.  Don’t just use your faith to get rid of your problems.  Use your faith to remain calm in the midst of your problems.  Say it again:

Happiness is based on circumstances.  Joy is based on Christ. 

When missionaries in the northern part of Alaska were trying to translate the Bible for the Eskimos, they had some difficulty.  When you go to translate the Bible in any culture, there’s always a difficulty translating some words that are foreign to that culture.  For example, there was no word in the Eskimo language for joy.  They had, like, 200 words for snow and, like, 300 words for ice.  But they had not one word for joy. 

So, the translators looked around and they saw the happiest, most joyful moment in that Eskimo village was in the evening when they fed their sled dogs.  They’d go out with the food, and the dogs would yelp and jump and wag their tails and get all excited.  And so, they pulled the word for joy out of that experience: “wagging their tails.” 

So, when you translate the Bible passage where it says, “After the resurrection, when the disciples saw Jesus alive, they were full of joy,” for the Eskimos, it would read, “When the disciples saw Jesus alive, they wagged their tails!”  Full of joy!  (John 20:20) 

Our tails ought to be wagging every day because we know that Jesus Christ is alive!  He is risen!  He is triumphant!  He is victorious!  And He promised to share His victory with us! 

Would you make this your prayer? 

Let’s get right to it.  I want to take you to one of the most dramatic moments in human history.  They place the dead body of Jesus in the tomb and roll an enormous rock over the entrance. 

Then they stand back, look at their work, and say, “Well, that’s that.  It’s finished.  Ain’t no way He comes back from that.”

But early on Sunday morning, just before sunrise, the earth rumbles and the stone explodes outward.  A light brighter than the sunrise shines from inside that open tomb.  And what happens next is mind-blowing … Jesus steps out. 

Now, what do you think He said?  I can’t prove it.  But I bet I know what He was thinking … “Ain’t no grave gonna hold my body down.  They said, Ain’t no way!  But I say, Ain’t no grave!”

Lord Jesus, when people were at their worst, You were at Your best.  That’s how I want to be.  So, I’m going to start right now.  My heart is open to your influence.

And now,  let me ask you this:  Is there a damaged relationship?  What you’re going to do today is, you’re going to own it.  It may have been the other person’s fault.  Yeah, so what?  It’s time for you to do what’s right.  It’s time for you to take responsibility for your side of the relationship, clean up your side of the street.

Right  now, think of that person and say, “Lord, I ask to You to bless that person.  I pray for Your best for them.  I pray for their happiness.” …. Pray that in your heart. 

Now, ask God to take your heart and make it soft.  When you have a hard time forgiving that person, think about how much you have been forgiven.  And then, by faith, even though you may not feel an ounce of forgiveness inside of you, tell God you forgive.  Tell Him you choose to forgive.

And, ask God to show you what your part is, what He wants you to do.  Maybe a phone call, an e-mail; maybe even an apology.  Ask Him what He wants you to do, then commit to doing it.

And here’s what you’ll see.  Your prayer, your attempt at reconciliation, you doing the right thing – it may or may not change them.  But it will change you. 

Lord, we pray it all in the Name of Jesus, whose courage and wisdom inspires us, whose spirit and love lives within us, Amen.