Our theme for this month: “You Gotta Keep Dancing”
Our Bible verse for today: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (CSB)
Our thought for today: “What If?”
“What if?” What if I loose my job? What if I don’t have enough money to pay my bills? What if my spouse gets sick? What if I get sick? What if the wrong candidate gets elected? What if …?
If we aren’t careful we can live our life based on the “what ifs”. What if this and what if that and what if all sorts of things. The problem with the “what ifs” is that we don’t know the answer to the question. Beyond that, most of the “what if” scenarios will never happen. I read a study one time which revealed that something like 80% of the things we worry about never happen. Another 10% do happen but turn out good rather than bad. Only about 10% of the things we worry about actually happen and turn out to be bad, but even then the result is seldom as bad as we thought it would be. And yet, “What if …”
Fear and doubt and worry about the future are common and natural. We all do it, especially when we’re struggling through difficult circumstances and the outcome is uncertain. Our thoughts and feelings about such things are deceptive and lead us to all sorts of wild conclusions. The answer in such situations is to focus and rely on the promises of God as given to us in the Bible. We need to read, memorize, and focus on what God has told us about Himself, and the promises He has made to us.
In his book “The Hand of God: Finding His Care in All Circumstances”, Alistair Begg writes, “… the reality and truth of who God is and the promises He has made are more significant that the doubts and misgivings that so frequently arise in the life of a believer. The antidote to this kind of self-condemnation and fear and mistrust is a solid, experiential grasp of what the Bible has to say.”
Bible study, memorizing Bible promises, listening to Christian music, being in church and surrounding yourself with supportive brothers and sisters, are all ways in which we focus on God and His promises rather than on our feelings, fears, and doubts.
The great Protestant reformer Martin Luther had a cute little poem he wrote to remind himself of this. In contemporary language it goes:
For feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving. My peace is in the Word of God, nothing else is worth believing. Though all my heart should feel condemned for want of some sweet token, There is One greater than my heart whose Word cannot be broken.
I encourage you to trust God and not your feelings. Fight the “What ifs” by immersing your mind and heart in the character and promises of God. Isaiah 41:10 (above) would be a good one to start with.
Oak Hill Baptist Church