Are you a “What if?” gal? When faced with circumstances beyond your control, do the “what ifs?” come to mind and roll off the tongue like marbles spilling out of their container, spreading across the floor, and settling underneath couches, end tables, and places you didn’t even think they could reach?
When we entertain these “What if?” questions, we are allowing these thoughts to spread far and wide through our minds, hearts, and bodies. Continually entertaining these thoughts literally rewires our brains to our detriment. Like the marbles that disappeared under the couch, these “What if?” thoughts may seem harmless and temporarily vanish, but they end up manifesting themselves in our bodies, resulting in stress and anxiety. Continuing the habit of what-if-ing might even produce lasting effects on our health such as high blood pressure or even depression.
I set an intention for myself this year to stop the “What if?" questions and to be present in the moment and not borrow trouble from tomorrow. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). I’m not saying that my tendency to entertain “what ifs?” has suddenly disappeared, but I’m working hard to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b).
I believe we can learn from John 6:1-13 how to stop the tendency to "What if?" everything:
“After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd was following Him, because they were watching the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. But Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. So Jesus, after raising His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?” But He was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what He intended to do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, for each to receive just a little!” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.” So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.”
Let’s look at three takeaways from this passage to help us turn our “What if?” into “What will God do?”:
1. What If?
In the above passage, Jesus poses a question to Philip asking “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?” Philip responded that two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough to feed the 5000. Andrew mentioned the boy with the five barley loaves and two fish, but then asked his version of “What if?”: “What are these for so many people?”
Philip and Andrew were looking at the circumstances and the facts as they knew them. It seemed impossible to be able to feed 5000 people with such a small amount of money and food.
We tend to look at circumstances through what is right in front of us or what we think we know of a situation. We play out all the “what ifs?” and every way things could go wrong, sometimes deeming a situation impossible to remedy, much like Philip did.
Our “what ifs?” can paralyze us, making us unable to move forward in God’s strength.
Over the years, my husband has been offered to pastor and/or apply to pastor a few different churches. When considering whether to do so, I confess that I was the one who “what if-ed?” the offers because I was looking at myself, number one. And number two, I was allowing my fears to get in the way. I often wonder if my “what ifs?” robbed my husband and me of a blessing. Instead of looking at what God would do in my own heart and how He would provide in that which I was fearful, I allowed these imagined scenarios to derail moving forward in God’s strength and purpose. Had I asked “What will God do?”, my hope would’ve been placed squarely on the Lord and not on myself or the circumstances. I would have been in a positive state of expectation of how God would work in that situation.
And as we will learn next, not only did God do an amazing thing in front of the disciples by feeding the 5000, but He can do those same amazing things in our own lives.
2. What Will God Do?
Had Andrew and Philip responded "What will you do, God?" when Jesus asked where they were to buy food to feed the 5000, doubts would’ve never entered their minds. They would’ve believed in the power of the Person who was asking the question. Scripture states that Jesus knew what He was going to do, but asked them about the food to test them.
How often are we tested by God (and fail) when circumstances come up in our lives that leave us feeling hopeless, worried, and wondering how it will ever work out because of those “what if?” questions?
What if {see what I did there? ;-)}, when tested by God in these situations, we, instead, expect great things from Him? What if with wonder and excitement, we anticipate what God will do in the situation?
Years ago, my daughter was facing a difficult situation and it looked like all her prayers to change the situation were going to be answered with "No." After all, the last piece that would close the door on the "yes" was pretty much a guarantee. I remember talking to a friend of mine about the situation and she said, “I believe God is going to work in the unseen places and that He will put a stop to the situation and answer her prayer with a resounding 'Yes'!” My friend took all of my “what ifs?” and with confidence replaced them not only with, “What will God do?”, but proclaimed in Jesus' name what she believed would happen.
I carried that hope with me. I did not allow the “what ifs?” to come, and I waited expectantly, wondering how God was going to work in the unseen places. And then it happened, a week later, the most insignificant occurrence ended up derailing the course of the whole concerning situation and put a definitive stop to it. God, indeed, worked in the unseen places and answered my daughter's prayers with "Yes"! He put a stop to the circumstance that caused her great concern.
When we spend our time and energy wondering what God will do in our situations, we are essentially living in the hope of who God is and believing He will do what is best for us. Anxiety cannot creep in when we are resting in God’s provision and will for our situations.
Just like Andrew and Philip, what they perceived as lack, Jesus turned into plenty and they were able to feed the 5000 with food left over. In God’s economy, we lack nothing. He is our Provider and knows what we need in any circumstance we find ourselves in.
3. Even If
In this biblical account, the story turned out with a miraculous solution to their problem. Yet, had Jesus not multiplied the bread, He would’ve provided for them in another way. Think back to the Old Testament when the Israelites were starving in the desert and God provided manna from the sky for them to eat. Our God can turn even the most hopeless situations around for our good and benefit.
The next time you are worried about a medical test result, instead of saying “What if it is cancer?” or “What if it is something serious?”, say, “Even if it is cancer, I know the Lord can still heal me.” “Even if He chooses not to bring healing, I know that He will be with me, strengthen me, and fill me with peace.” This is an extreme example, and I admit a difficult one, but when we trust the Lord and His care over us and allow ourselves to accept His will for our lives, we are set free from the bondage of worry and anxiety and can rest in Him. As Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.”
An “Even if” statement is very powerful because we are surrendering our lives and our care to the Lord, the only place it should be. Habakkuk 3:17-19 says, “Even if the fig tree does not bloom and the vines have no grapes, even if the olive tree fails to produce and the fields yield no food, even if the sheep pen is empty and the stalls have no cattle— even then, I will be happy with the LORD. I will truly find joy in God, who saves me.”
Remember, when we are spending time in the “what ifs?”, we are already living in that anxious “reality” before it even comes to fruition—if it even comes to fruition.
When we exclaim, “What will God do?”, we are placing our trust in Him, not in our own abilities or allowing the circumstances to dictate the outcome in our minds.
And finally, when we truly find joy in the Lord and are happy in Him, the “even ifs” will come from a genuine place of trust in our Heavenly Father to care for us in His amazing love and perfect will.
“Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Motortion
Karen Del Tatto is a blogger, author, women's ministry leader, pastor's wife, mom, and grandmother who is passionate about the Word of God. Her blog Growing Together in Grace and Knowledge and her books Choosing to Trust God: Breaking the Habit of Worry, A 30-Day Devotional and Choosing to Trust God Companion Journal reveal her heart for providing Biblical insights to encourage women to grow in and through their struggles while equipping them to overcome. Karen and her husband live in Rhode Island and enjoy walks in the woods, owling, and spending time with their grandchildren.