Devotion: Dealing With the "What if's" (part 1)

Dealing With the "What If's" (part 1)
By Marsha Iddings


Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.


Have you ever lived with the "what if's"? When you let your mind get carried away thinking about all the "what if's" of your situation it leads to fear, discouragement and discontentment. It's not a good place to be.

This happened to me the other night. I went to bed and my mind began working on all of the possible scenarios that could happen as a result of the tendonitis I have in my arms. What if my arms don't heal? What if I have to have injections in them and there are complications? What if the injections don't work out? What if I have to have surgery? What if there are complications with that? How will my family manage without me?....and it went on and on. It didn't make for a very peaceful night.

God knows what we need however, and in the morning He comforted me through the reading of His Word. I naturally came to the passage in Hebrews quoted above as I am reading through the New Testament now. I realized in letting myself get stirred up, I was beginning to covet those whose arms are fine. I was becoming discontented in my circumstances and I wasn't appreciative of the fact that God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. He is my helper and I have no need to fear the future with God Himself beside me!

I am reminded of a quote I read recently in Homeschool Enrichment Magazine. Kari Lewis was writing about Isaiah 26:3 which says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." She said,

"...when we truly realize the fact that God is in perfect and complete control of our entire situation, and that He has a loving purpose and plan for absolutely everything He does, and everything He allows to happen, and we keep our minds stayed on that fact, we will experience His peace. If we're saved, we're trusting God with our eternal souls, surely we can trust Him with our daily lives, too!"

We can leave the "what if's" of life in the hands of God. He is our helper and we don't need to fear them. He is in perfect control of what enters our lives be it good or bad from our perspective and we can have confidence that He has a special plan and purpose for each thing that comes our way.

Books by Marshahttp://www.lulu.com/Marsha-Iddings

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