“What If” or “Even If”?

One of the enemy’s favorite tools for discouraging Christians is the question, “What if?” Unfortunately, those “What if” questions lead right down the road to fear.

The Bible reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. You don’t have to let the “What ifs” defeat you.

How many times have you worried about your finances, asking those scary “what if” questions such as,

• “What if I lose my job?”
• “What if I don’t have enough money for retirement?”
• “What if something bad happens to me or my loved ones?”

The problem with this kind of thinking is that it focuses on events that haven’t happened yet or may never happen. We can’t control the future, but we certainly like to worry about it? God knows this about us, which is why Jesus reminded his disciples in Matthew 6,

“… do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

We can’t control the future, but we can put our “What if” worries in the hands of the One who does. It doesn’t matter how mixed-up or complicated the circumstances are. God isn’t overwhelmed by them.

When circumstances seem impossible, we have a choice: give in to that “what if” fear or trust God’s provision and help. We can change our “what if” mindset to an “even if” trust in God.

Do you remember the story of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego from Sunday School or VBS? The Book of Daniel tells the story of these three young Israelites, captives in Babylon, who demonstrated unwavering faith in the face of persecution.

They refused to worship the king’s idol despite the threat of death by fire. As the three men are led to the fiery furnace, they say to King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:17-18:

“If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

The three young men acknowledged God’s power to save and the importance of doing the right thing, no matter what. They accepted God’s sovereignty, even if it meant not being delivered from hardship. Their trust in God wasn’t conditional on the outcome but rooted in God’s character.

In moments of financial anxiety, you can embrace that same trust. In Christ, you can replace your “What if” mentality with an “Even if” trust in God. You can believe that the Lord will give you what you need when you need it, even if it doesn’t look exactly the way you planned. How does “Even if” change our worries?

• “What if I lose my job?” becomes “Even if I lose my job, I will trust the Lord.”
• “What if I can’t afford retirement?” becomes, “Even if I can’t afford retirement, I will trust the Lord.”
• “What if something bad happens to me or my loved ones?” becomes, “Even if something bad happens, I will trust the Lord.”

Accepting that God’s plans don’t always match ours can be challenging. The Bible acknowledges that life will have its worries and troubles. However, faith means trusting God’s sovereignty, even if we struggle, knowing He works out all things for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Your challenge is to make a list of the things you’re worried about. Write them out as “What if” questions, and then cross out “What if” and replace it with “Even if.” Submit these worries to the Lord, and He will begin to fill your heart with the spirit of power, love, and self-control that His Word promises.

Scripture is full of promises for believers who put their complete trust in the Lord, but Isaiah 41:10 is one you should memorize and meditate on whenever you worry about finances, or other cares of life:

Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. If you or someone you know struggles with financial anxiety and the “What ifs” that lead to fear, visit Faithfi.com and pick up a copy of our new 21-day devotional, Look at the Sparrows. This resource will reassure and strengthen you with biblical truth and daily spiritual encouragement. You can also listen to the related podcast on this topic.