Difference Between “What If” and “Even If” Mentality

What if God lets the storm come, what if He does not answer my prayers… Even If God says no, or He says wait… what will be my response? What would be yours? Big question mark?

So, I want to address these questions... The first thing you need to be assured of, is God knows your needs before you even ask (Matthew 6:8)

Second, God cares unequivocally about you. Here are some scriptures to back that up...

I Peter 5:7 "Cast your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you."

Ephesians 5:29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.

Sometimes the answer is YES * Sometimes the answer is NO* Sometimes the answer is WAIT.

Let’s dig in. I believe He answers this way…(My humble opinion) Several years ago a man from my hometeam was talking to me about being ready to date again after divorce and he wondered why it was not happening in the time frame he wanted. We were at this moment attending a carnival at church and having a great time with the kids. As we walked around he and I talked about his question – when and why. This was my answer and I tell you to this day I believe it was all God and not me answering.

I said you know – look around at all the people here at this carnival, we don’t know them or their hearts, we just assume the best in people. Is one of them “God’s best for you”, well only He knows that. Suppose he is looking at only THIS set of people. He sees everyone in your life right now and no doubt He sees good people but perhaps not His best for you. Don’t you want to wait until that person is God’s best for you? Isn’t it worth the wait? In the meantime think about yourself, is there anything you need to work on about you? Are you - right now- this moment God’s best version of you? if so then awesome, if not then you have some time to work on yourself so that you are His best for the lady He brings for you. I’m pleased to tell you that he is married and things worked out just the way they should have.

So there is another part to the questions –Even if He doesn’t? The topic to this question can be so many things. Even if He does not cure me? Even if He does not bring me fortunes like I’ve asked? This one reminds me of Facing the Giants, the wife of the main character was wanting to get pregnant. She tested and was fine but when he tested it showed that he was not able to provide babies. Heartbreaking for both. She is feeling sick later and goes to the doctor – they tell her she is not pregnant (charts got mixed up) as she gets to the parking lot something he said fills her head – if God does not provide children for us will you sill love Him? At that moment she stopped and said “I will still love you” as soon as she finished saying that and got in the car the nurse runs out to tell her – opps yes you ARE pregnant. Perfect answer for “Even If”.

Both have been answered for me this week. My Uncle who was the topic of a previous blog passed away yesterday and I will tell you that I have great peace about his passing, am I sad – gosh yes. Overwhelmingly though, I am grateful to God for taking away his pain, giving him a whole and healed body. Letting him be in Heaven with my Mom and his parents and his brothers and sisters, tons of cousins and other family who preceeded him. I imagine since they were very close that my Mom was at the front of the line to welcome him in to Heaven. She likely will be showing him around and enjoying some of their great visits. This thought is so precious to me. So my answer too is that What if … Even if…YES - I will still love and praise God for all my blessings.

We have to believe that God first and most importantly loves us – he is our Heavenly Father and as such He looks out for our best interests. He wants the best for us and when our human brains think certain things are best we sometimes don’t get our way.

This topic also made me think about this saying – Two Boats and a helicopter. Meaning sometimes we need to see the signs… as Joyce Meyer once said – Just wiggle… we have to make moves in the right direction too.. believing He will move in tandem with us when we are doing the right thing.

A storm descends on a small town, and the downpour soon turns into a flood. As the waters rise, the local preacher kneels in prayer on the church porch, surrounded by water. By and by, one of the townsfolk comes up the street in a canoe. "Better get in, Preacher. The waters are rising fast." "No," says the preacher. "I have faith in the Lord. He will save me." Still the waters rise. Now the preacher is up on the balcony, wringing his hands in supplication, when another guy zips up in a motorboat. "Come on, Preacher. We need to get you out of here. The levee's gonna break any minute." Once again, the preacher is unmoved. "I shall remain. The Lord will see me through." After a while the levee breaks, and the flood rushes over the church until only the steeple remains above water. The preacher is up there, clinging to the cross, when a helicopter descends out of the clouds, and a state trooper calls down to him through a megaphone. "Grab the ladder, Preacher. This is your last chance." Once again, the preacher insists the Lord will deliver him. And, predictably, he drowns. A pious man, the preacher goes to heaven. After a while he gets an interview with God, and he asks the Almighty, "Lord, I had unwavering faith in you. Why didn't you deliver me from that flood?" God shakes his head. "What did you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter."

Heavenly Father – Thank You for Your answers, Your choices and Your will - not ours. In Jesus Name - AMEN