What If?

The television is turned to ESPN Sports channel whenever my husband is home. I wish I could pay our satellite bill per program use it would save us money.  I have learned some things from ESPN. 

1) We pay people a lot of money to guess what will happen in the future of a ball game.
2) We enjoy drama and listening to the comments, arguments and speculations of the future.
3) We like the excitement of attempting to know the future.

Is is maddening to me.  We listen to the speculation, we watch the game, and then we listen to the analyze of what actually happened during the game.  Stay with me here, for I believe we live our life this same way.

"What ifs" play a role in our daily life.  If we are not careful these "What ifs" begin to take over our mind, drain the life out of us, and steal our joy. 

Here is a small example.  We bottle fed a puppy which was the runt of a litter.  It was obvious this puppy had mental issues but we fed and loved him anyway.   On his first vet visit, we were told he had a heart condition which would shortened his life expectancy.  Kolby, my daughter heard this conversation.  She was heart broken and so worried about this puppy.  The fear of losing this dog began to control her.  She was not able to enjoy and love the dog for the fear of losing him.  What a great lesson the Lord provided for us.  We do not know the future. We must trust God with the future and walk in the grace He has given us for today.  Kolby had a choice.  She could wallow in sadness and fear of losing the dog or she could treasure the days she had with him. We do the same thing with our "what ifs" and we have the same choice. 

God has made it clear, He is the sovereign One over our life.  He is the One in charge of our very breath and lively hood.  His grace and mercy, as the manna was given daily in the wilderness, is given to us daily.  We are to trust Him daily and not speculate what could happen in the future.  When we speculate something that could happen in the future, losing our jobs, death of a loved one, etc we are borrowing from grace not yet given.  This way of thinking will send us in a downward spiral of sin, which begins in attitude and then manifests itself in action.

 Look at these passages of Scripture with me.

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  Matt. 6:34

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion's fail not.  They are new every morning, Great is Your faithfulness. Lam. 3:22-23

The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corth. 1:25

The LORD is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness.  Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails ,But the unjust knows no shame. Zephaniah 3:5

But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not grow faint. Is 40:31

For me personally, I am not much of a speculator.  But I can become an enabler of someone else's speculation.  This grieves my heart for I should be encouraging them to trust God and wait for Him to reveal the future, knowing what ever the future holds His grace will be enough. 

There were things I saw last night that made me angry. I was angry that I believed others have the power to hurt or prosper  me. God is the only one with this power.  I was angry that words spoken injured and discouraged a friend.  I was angry that I had fallen into the "What Ifs" as well.  I prayed for wisdom and God has answered.  We are to live one day at a time in the audience of One.  His grace is sufficient for today's joys and sorrows.  His grace will be sufficient for tomorrows joys and sorrows.  We cannot borrow grace from today to supply tomorrow trouble.  All we are guaranteed is grace for today.  Live your life today with purpose and meaning through serving our One and Only God who knows the way of the future.  Nothing can touch our lives that He does not allow.  Think of Joseph..."What man meant for evil, God meant for good." 

I am thankful for waking to wisdom-Jesus-who is wisdom come in the flesh.

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.  Is. 32:17