When What-Ifs Take Over: Three Key Thoughts to Regain Control
There are certain words the devil uses to prevent us from experiencing the fullness of God’s goodness. One of them is the phrase ”what if”. In recent times, I have noticed that anytime I am about to make decisions that will propel me to greatness, I will not be able to shake off the thousands of “what if’s’ swirling around my head. And trust me, these thoughts can be so persistent and overwhelming, such that when they settle, they steer us away from the present and have us surrendering in fear. Well, if you are a Christian and in that boat, you know that that is not of God. Because when we come to God, He takes away our timid minds and replaces it with boldness.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
II Timothy 1:7 NKJV
Do not get me wrong! Often, these “what ifs” are valid. But other than that, there are just the lies that the devil puts in our mind to stop us from accessing the richness of God’s glory.
Hence, it is important that we equip our minds with the word of God. So we can suppress the devil when he comes to flood our minds with his false evidence.
Remember that the Bible makes it clear that when the enemy comes in life a flood, the Spirit of God will raise a standard. We also know that the Spirit of God comes when you are immersed in the word of God. It is in our best interests to search the word of God when we are at the crossroads of our lives
So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
Isaiah 59:19 NKJV
To prove the potency of God’s word, here are some reminders to regain control when the what ifs abound:
- We know the One who knows tomorrow and we can trust Him entirely: One of the perks of being a Christian is that our Heavenly Father is omniscient. We might not know what tomorrow holds but we belong to a father who knows and that is all that matters. Additionally, God is not one to let harm come to His children. Therefore, we can trust Him with all our decisions.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.
James 4:13-15 NKJV
- God is forever and faithful: If God has said it, he will surely perform it. When He says in His word that He will never leave us or forsake us, He means it. Therefore, when you are feeling doubtful about a situation or phase, be rest assured that if it would not benefit you, God will not allow the situation to consume you. Bear in mind that He keeps His promise – watching out for you every step of the way. So there is no need to fret or worry.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NKJV
- We have and are held by a loving Heavenly Father: No loving Father will watch his child come to harm. This applies to our Heavenly Father too. He will never allow His children to come to harm. Now, when the devil comes to sow seeds of doubts and negativity in your mind, assure yourself of God’s unfailing love and he (the devil ) will have no choice but to walk away with his what ifs. Furthermore, the devil manages to sow seeds of fear and hopelessness in us because we sometimes forget who we belong to. For this reason, we are to constantly remind ourselves of God’s love and in so doing, the devil will have no place to perch on.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
John 10:29 NKJV
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