31 Days: Pathway to Perseverance - What if?

It seems that we are often hard-wired to live life through a giant magnifier called "What If?" As parents, we begin asking the question as soon as our child is born. What if I sleep too soundly and don't hear my baby cry in the night?  What if the bath water is too hot or cold?

We get a bit older and the questions change. What if he/she doesn't like me?  What if I don't get the job? What if I can't make it up to the top of the mountain?  What if I (You fill in the question)? 

What ifs on a grand scale can change from questioning and concern to worry and life becomes affected, maybe even derailed.  Our minds become so busy thinking about the endless possibilities and potential outcomes that we live in the shadows. Conversations take place around us and we lose the ability to really engage. After all, what if I say the wrong thing? Or, what if I misinterpret what is being said?

What ifs transform into worry. What ifs transform into fear. Worry and fear are not God's plan for us. Worry and fear have no place in our minds or in our lives. But how do we stop from spending hours trying hard to rewrite or prewrite the events of our lives?

The Bible says we have the power to become superheroes over our minds. We can literally take our thoughts captive and give them to God who changes them from fear and worry to peace and promise. 

"The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  2 Corinthians 10:4-5

It all begins with our thought life.  What we choose to think about can either foster fear and anxiety or bring peace. And not just peace itself, but the God of peace, the one who is the very essence of peace will inhabit our lives and will fill our minds and hearts. No more room for what ifs.  Anxiety and fear are destroyed. We are fully present and engaged in life. Eyes lifted heavenward.

"Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what ever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praisworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."  Philippians 4:8-9

What if, we start today? What if, we start together?  What if, we change the world, our world?




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