What If?

I often catch my imagination running through all the possible outcomes of every situation. My mind can hardly keep up with all the “what-ifs.”

Do you ever catch your mind running down this endless path?

What if I fail the test?

What if I never get married?

What if I say the wrong thing?

What if I hate my new job?

For every what-if in life, there are ten more to follow.

Sometimes, we catch ourselves, and step back into reality for a moment. But where do our minds go ten minutes after that? In a world of possibilities, we often wander right back into the crippling sea of what-ifs.

So, what can we do?

Here’s a what-if for us to consider: what if we trusted God’s promise to care for us?

Isaiah 46:3-4 says, “I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

God cared for you before you took your first breath.

He knows your heart. He is deeply aware of your fears and your circumstances. He cares intimately for you — your pain, your future. He knows what you feel, and He knows what you need.

Whether they are serious or silly, we’ll always face the what-ifs of life. When we trust God’s care, true joy enters our lives. When we trust His care, our worries melt away. When we trust His care, we can actually delight in the uncertainties — the mysteries of life.

In Genesis 28:15, God tells Jacob, “What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

God promises to be with you. He keeps His promises.

The next time you catch your mind wandering, turn to God in prayer. Cast your anxieties on Him, and He will carry you (1 Peter 5:7). Entrust your what-ifs to the powerful hands of the One who holds the whole world — the one who created you, the one who provides for you, the one who cares deeply for you.

He holds your what-ifs, and He isn’t anxious. If you knew what He knows, you wouldn’t be either. 

Trust His promise.