A few weeks ago, I had a wake-up call. It happened at church, of all places, during the worship service. A wave of panic pummeled me when I realized my son was uncharacteristically late to church. The later it got, the more I began to worry that something terrible had happened. Thankfully, a few minutes later, my phone lit up with a text that he had arrived. A swell of relief flooded my soul, but the ache of potential pain lingered.
We never want it to happen—the worst thing we think is possible, the worst day imaginable—you know, the hypothetical worst-case scenario that literally never happens, until, one day, it does. The question I have for you is the same question I asked myself that day:
There are many ways we prepare every day for the worst-case scenario. We keep tire-changing kits in our trunks just in case we get a flat tire. After the pandemic of 2020, we keep toilet paper on hand. As a hiker, I keep a pack full of survival essentials. My neighbor keeps a go-bag in her car with a full change of clothes and toiletries.
If we prepare for the worst-case scenarios in these very tangible, everyday mishaps, then why would we not prepare ourselves for the storms of life that we never seem to see coming? Such situations as an unexpected death of a close friend or family member, a surprise cancer diagnosis, a life-changing accident, divorce papers you didn’t expect, or an act of God that destroys your home. We tend to take for granted that these events may never happen, yet, when they do, they either jolt us back into God’s arms or send us running away from God because we think it’s His fault.
If one of the above events was to occur, would you be able to say with conviction, “I will not be shaken"?
Dear friend, the fact is, we live in a broken world, and not a single one of us is immune to the worst-case scenario that we never thought could happen to us. In fact, Jesus said in John 16:33 (NIV), “In this world, you will have trouble.”
God’s children absolutely will “face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2 NIV). Instead of fooling yourself into believing the worst will never happen, or having a “cross that bridge when I get to it” mentality, I suggest taking a more proactive approach.
Instead of being reactive, I urge you to join me in preparing your heart so that when the worst happens, you are ready for the deluge of stress, pain, and sorrow that may occur with no warning at all.
To be prepared for the worst, I’ve identified three questions that we must answer, starting today and each day, for the rest of our lives. In doing so, when the worst day imaginable comes, we’ll already have the answers to life’s hardest questions. However, we aren’t going to answer them with the wisdom of men, but with God’s truth:
I’ve often found myself saying that if such and such happens, God is still good. My daughter is currently taking high school geometry and just learned about if-then statements. I really like these for playing out our worst-case scenarios.
If [insert the worst thing imaginable], then God. That’s it. That’s exactly where I’d like my relationship to be with God when the worst happens. I sure hope that a lifetime of walking with Him and experiencing His goodness in all situations has prepared me. But what about those of you who are newer to the faith, or maybe you’ve just always struggled to believe that God will work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)?
My husband recently completed the police academy and became a deputy sheriff. I’ve been asked numerous times if I worry about him. Each time, I have answered truthfully, “No, I trust that he is in God’s hands. If something happens to him while in the line of duty, I trust that God is in control of all things and has a plan for us.” I realize this means I am placing my husband’s life in God’s control, but I also realize that I do not have control of the situation, and God’s control is the best place to be.
So if the worst happens, we must always remember that God is still good, He is in control of all things, and if He allowed it to happen, it is for a reason. No doubt, He will turn it into something good.
Thankfully, I’ve never had to experience some of the worst of what this broken world has to offer, but I understand the heartache people go through every day, and I empathize with those who have had to endure excruciating loss. I don’t think we’ll ever fully comprehend the why behind it all, but we can prepare our hearts for how to respond when our world as we know it comes crashing down.
Preparing our hearts for anything life throws at us is similar to a concept called muscle memory. Our muscles remember what to do after repeating a movement or pattern of movements several times over the course of days, weeks, or even years. Like riding a bicycle, it doesn’t matter how long it’s been; once on the bike, your body remembers what to do.
This is why the military and law enforcement spend so many hours training their personnel in tactical defenses and maneuvers. They do the same drills over and over, day in and day out, so when the time comes that they must implement their training, it is second nature. Thus, they instinctively react without having to even think about what to do or how to do it.
So how do we build up our heart muscle to react properly in the face of deep and unexpected fear, grief, sorrow, and loss?
Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10-18 that we are to get suited up as if we’re going to battle. Like a soldier, we are to put on our armor. However, in order to be a good soldier, ready for battle, we need to know how to use our gear. We must train and practice using it on a daily basis. To do this, we need to read the Bible and pray, we need to seek the truth, and we need to trust God in even the smallest of things. In addition, we need to learn to find joy and reasons to be grateful on the good days as well as the bad days. This is how we practice for the worst days that are yet to come.
James 1:3 (NIV) says that when we are tested, we build up our endurance. To me, this means there will come a day when we will have to run longer and harder than ever. The only way to be prepared is to practice with the small stuff.
This is the good news! Even if the worst thing imaginable happens here on Earth, we have a hope in a future that no one can take away. If you love Jesus and have made the decision to follow Him, you are guaranteed eternal life.
Jesus is the only reason we can have joy in every moment and the confidence to step into an unknown tomorrow. It’s like the old hymn goes, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; because He lives, all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives” (Because He Lives, Gloria Gaither and William J. Gaither).
No matter what happens, I will cling to this truth of Revelations 21:4 (ESV): “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Evgeniy1
Jennifer Jabbour resides in the scenic San Diego countryside with her husband, adult son, and teen daughter, and their hilarious English Bulldog. Jennifer has a B.A. in Integrated Business Communications, and is a Go + Tell Gals licensed life coach. Jennifer hopes to use her calling of writing, coaching, and speaking to equip and empower women to clarify their vision and to boldly step forward in response to God's calling on their life, as well as educate and encourage others to experience the abundance of God's goodness when they seek Him first in all that they do. Jennifer is also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a photographer, and an avid outdoors-woman. She loves camping, hiking, running, and playing the piano in her free time.
You can keep up with Jennifer on her website https://www.jenniferjabbour.com.