What If?

I had a reminder on Sunday night that there are people right now who are going through some very difficult times, both financially and spiritually. Our church regularly has what we call a “Concert of Prayer” where we spend Sunday evening just singing and offering prayer requests to the Lord. This Sunday was one of those nights. There were so many very heavy prayer requests and my heart has been burdened ever since. At the same time, it was such a powerful reminder of the kind of God I serve. You could feel His presence there with us as we brought our burdens to Him.

One guy gave a testimony about how he has been without a job for the past 5 months. They had just bought a house, they have 2 children and his wife is very, very pregnant.

As he spoke, fear struck my heart. I started thinking, “Oh dear. What if that happens to us? I just quit my job, we just bought a house, we just had a baby. What if Dave lost his job?”

And it’s as if God was challenging me to think those things. As if He was saying, “Yes, Amy. WHAT IF? Go ahead. Ask yourself. WHAT IF that happened to you? What do you believe? Do you still believe I am a good God? Do you still believe I am in control? Do you still believe I know what I’m doing even IF I shake things up for you?”

Another guy in our church made such a profound statement – at least, it felt very profound to me. He said, “We need to remember that we are always depending on God, WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT.”

I think that when things are going well, when we have the money we need and there are no major issues, I really believe that I am in control. Oh, I’d never say that if you asked me. I’d tell you that I believe God is in control. But I’m really trusting in the amount of money we have in our bank account and our security in Dave’s job, NOT in the Lord’s provision. God could wipe that out in a second if He wanted to – and my fear of losing those things is proof positive of what I am really trusting in. If I truly trust the Lord, I have no fear of economic hardships – because I know God is in control in spite of those things.

My external circumstances have nothing to do with my ability to trust the Lord. This is what Paul was saying in the book of Philippians when he said, “For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I am so glad that in Christ I have no reason to fear the future. Not because I am certain that no hardship will come, but because I know I have a God who I can trust even when the storm is upon me.

I don’t have to wait for God to take away my comfortable life to trust in Him. I can trust Him right now by living life with no fear of tomorrow. I can ask, “What if….” and always feel secure in knowing that the answer will always be, “Don’t worry. God will be there.”