God knows our hearts of flesh. Our human nature admires our accomplishments, but clearly, this passage declares that all we have, even our abilities and strength, come from God.
I’ve returned to the land of what-if this week as I deal with the intense pain of sciatica. I’m no stranger to back pain, but the intensity of nerve pain refuses to relent. Perhaps when your health lets you down, you might ask the same questions I do:
What if I’m not better for an important event?
What if the pain doesn’t decrease?
What if the pain lingers for weeks, as so many people have told me?
What if I need surgery?
During the past two years, the world has asked questions we never expected to utter:
What if I get COVID-19?
What if my loved one dies from COVID-19?
What if the gas prices never decrease?
What if food prices make me choose between groceries and prescription medicines?
What if a supply chain issue prevents me from getting something I desperately need?
What if Christmas gifts cannot be found again this year?
What if the holidays are never the same?
But do you remember our old familiar what-if questions? They haven’t gone away. They still exist. You know these questions well:
What if I don’t have enough for the golden years?
What if the kids have an accident coming home for Christmas?
What if there’s no one to take care of me as I grow older?
I hope to leave the land of what-ifs soon because I had once learned to thwart those nagging questions. How did I do that? I’m glad you asked! I'll share what the Bible tells us about the what-if questions:
God is Our Source
When we read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, Jesus segued from the topic of money to the topic of worry. Even in biblical times, finances held a prominent place in the minds of Jews, much like we do today. Many worries center around finances, and so do our what-if questions.
Jesus warned that we cannot serve God and money both (Matt. 6:24). Our perspective on finances will set the tone for many of our what-if questions. We must realize that God is our only source of money. Someone who asks themselves, “What if I lose my job?” has a legitimate concern. Big layoffs can create drastic changes in communities.
However, as Christians, we must understand that God gives us our money and not the employer we work for. Let’s turn to Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (NIV):
"You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today."
God knows our hearts of flesh. Our human nature admires our accomplishments, but clearly, this passage declares that all we have, even our abilities and strength, come from God. We find a similarity in the New Testament in John 15:5 (NIV):
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
I have learned this lesson the hard way. When I’ve attempted to try something new, I have put my confidence in myself, my skills, and my abilities. Then when it all fell apart, I asked God, “Why did You let that happen?”
We must view God as our sole source for everything, including our talents, skills, and knowledge. This biblical perspective can relieve the tendency to worry over job loss and finances, along with a host of other concerns.
It doesn’t promise abundant wealth. It doesn’t promise no financial hurdles, but it tells us the outlook we can have over these concerns.
Do Not Worry
When I ask what-if, I am prone to worry.
As we return to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands us not to worry, and He even gives us an explanation as to why worry is sinful.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25 NIV)
Jesus tells us we do not need to worry about the essentials of life, for life itself is far more than food or clothes. Most of our what-ifs arise out of worry. When we grasp what the Bible says about God as our sole source of provision, we have no reason to ask what-if questions.
Jesus continues by assuring us that we are more valuable to our heavenly Father than sparrows. He takes care of those birds, so why wouldn’t God take care of our needs when He values us more than the little sparrows? Birds wake up in the morning singing praises to God, trusting Him to find a worm. They don’t ask, “What if I don’t find a worm today?" Even on a rainy day, you can hear their songs. We can learn so much from these winged creatures.
Next, Jesus motions to the flowers. If God clothes them so beautifully, would He allow us to live without ample clothing? Certainly not! We must trust God as our provider, Jehovah Jireh.
Will worry add to your life?
Jesus presents this question in Matthew 6:27. Worry never adds one hour to our lives, but it does eat away at our health.
According to Web Md, worry can lead to anxiety. Worry and stress can affect our immune system, heart, hormone production, brain function, and nerve impulses.
Worry is a sin, and its effects can harm our bodies, so what are we supposed to do? We can’t stuff those what-if questions down and pretend they don’t exist.
The Alternative to Worry and What-If Questions
Jesus gives us the answer to our worried minds in Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV):
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
It makes sense that we seek God’s kingdom first because He is our source for all things. The problem begins when we put our needs and desires in front of the kingdom of God. We must learn to think from a different perspective to live in peace, free of worry and the nagging what-if questions.
When we ask, “What if…” we borrow from tomorrow’s trouble, as if we don’t have enough trouble today. We tend to worry about things that may never happen. We get all worked up over things that never come to fruition.
"The Lord gives us mercy. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV).
The Lord’s mercies begin anew each day. That’s why we cannot borrow trouble from tomorrow. God gives His mercy and sufficient grace as we need it. Today’s grace doesn’t cover tomorrow’s trouble.
We reach beyond the bounds of peace when we heap up future trouble today. God hasn’t given us the grace for tomorrow’s troubles because His grace flows as we need it. Neither does He give us grace for problems that may never exist. We create these problems in our minds as if there isn’t enough trouble for today.
The next time worry knocks on your door, refuse to open the door. Look toward God as sovereign and relax in His peace. Stop borrowing future trouble. It’s a hard habit to break, but choose some of the Scriptures in this article or your own favorites. Hang onto them, and put them somewhere you will see them often. Start living with a new perspective and enjoy the peace of worry-free living.
Photo Credit: ©tommaso79
