Have you ever played the “what if?” game? You know how it works. You might make a statement and say, “What if I hadn’t…?” Or you might look back on something you have done, slapped your forehead and said, “I could have had a V-8.” Just kidding. 🙂 You might, however, say, “What if I had or had not done…?”
As an athlete (in my younger, former days) there have been times I was tempted to quit, to give up. to say the pain to continue was too great. I now look back and see that extra practice effort; that extra game effort; that push to get that rebound was worth it. I would have missed out on the prize-whatever it was. What if I had quit a tad bit earlier?
There’s an interesting story in the OT which has always captured my fancy. You can find it in 2 Kings 5. It’s the story of Naaman, the leprous, Gentile, military leader. He had a little Jewish girl as a servant who recommended he go see the prophet Elisha to be healed of his leprosy. Long story short: Naaman gets a letter from his king requesting safe passage for Naaman and an audience with Elisha. Elisha sends his servant to tell Naaman to wash 7 times in the Jordan River. He protests because the Jordan is muddy and, he thinks, inferior to the rivers in his home land. His soldiers basically tell him, “What could it hurt to do what the prophet says?” So he does. Seven times and he comes up clean! No more leprosy!!
Here is your list of “what ifs?”
- What if he had refused to dip in the Jordan?
- What if he had stopped at #6 out of frustration or disbelief?
- What if he had thought this was effort in futility?
- What if he had blown off the servant girl’s suggestion? You know…kids don’t know squat.
We are often hamstrung by the “what ifs” in our life, missing out on blessings God wants to give us by being paralyzed by the “what ifs.” So we short-change ourselves.
Take it from Naaman. The what ifs can be crippling. Break through them and see what God has on the other side.
Fantastic advice for all of us, Bill. It’s all too easy for us to be stymied by the what-ifs, and not allowing God to work His miracles. Let’s trust completely in Him.
Blessings!
That trust is so important Martha. It takes stepping out and laying it all before Him.
Risk vs Reward popped into my my while reading your post. You have a man who made it through the first several challenges. Most of the time, simply taking that first step is the most difficult. Momentum has been established, trajectory in the right direction. We are in week 1 of a 10 week program called Fight Club. Staying up late and making it to kickoff at midnight in Noblesville last Friday night likely prevented many from even considering. Those who showed up got an experience. Now the real work begins. 10 weeks of discipline – physically, spiritually, relationally, and mentally.
10 weeks… But the reward will be based on what you put in to it. I have seen guys drop every week along the way in the past several years. What if definitely comes to mind. I will use this story of Naaman during our meeting tonight. Thanks for sharing!
You see another avenue, Ryan, by seeing even more in the “what if” we allow ourselves to get caught up in. I’m excited to hear how the sharing goes for you.
What ifs are common in our daily lives, we always think, things would have turned out better in only this or that would have happened. What if, instead of saying what if, we said, God the plan has changed, where are You leading me now? What now God, would you show what to do next? God is not surprised, by anything, so He knows what’s next, and what needs to change to get to His outcome not ours, so we should stop the what ifs, and ask for God’s help.
All good and great suggestions Gail. And a much better approach to doing what God wants
For me, the answer to the ”what if”s in life is always “but God”. Whenever I look back I see many times when IF I had done such and such, the result would’ve been disasterous. But God intervened! And for that, I am eternally thankful!
Absolutely correct Pam! Very wise words.