If only, What if, etc...

The truth, if altered a bit, looks like the real thing but in fact is isn’t.  Here in this country they have many cheap imports and what they do is they just change the name a bit so you think that you are buying quality but in fact you are not!  For example, a Honda motorbike becomes a Homda.  Stanley tools are called Stamley, etc.  The same with truth.  If it is adapted a bit it is not truthful anymore.

It is good to look back, to look forward and to look at the present.   The Psalms are a good example of how the Israelites looked back and knew without a doubt what God had done for them.  They also reminded the Lord of His promises thus gaining strength for the now by looking back and looking forward. – but if I look back with If only….or look forward with What if…and look to today with That’s not how it is supposed to be! (Beth Moore’s words) then although I think I am doing the right thing, I am actually causing more harm than I think!

God wants us to look back and see how He was there for us, how He helped, how His grace got us through.  But not in the words of If only!!!

We also need to look to the future – by looking at God’s promises we know we can trust Him, because all His promises always come true!!  But not in the words of What if!!!

We can gain strength from looking back and looking forward with our eyes on God and that helps us to cope with the now, but not in the words of This is not how it is supposed to be!!

All three of these bring out fear, regret and a feeling of helplessness and discontentment.  Yes, we are looking back, looking forward and taking each day as it comes along – some truth in it, but warped.  It takes our eyes from God and turns it towards ourselves with discouragement and faithlessness following behind.

The longer you live, the more If only’s you can collect, the more you think about it the more What if’s you can think up.  And believe me, there are MANY!!  The more you say This is not how it is supposed to be, the more you are losing focus.  Fear charges in.  Like Peter when he tried to walk on water – he took his eyes from Jesus, saw the HUGE waves and……feared!! 

2Cor 10:5 says “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

So I am taking captive the entire If only’s, What if’s and This is not how it is supposed to be’s!!  and making my thoughts obedient to Jesus.  Please help me in this, dear God!

Bella