When You Feel the Hot Breath of ‘If Only’

When I get bad news, sometimes my mind begs to rewind to the previous day before my skippy little world took a tumble. And when I start traveling down that road, it’s only a {short} matter of time before all the ‘if onlys’ want to saddle up and join me.

“If only this had gone that way, we wouldn’t be here.”

“If only we had acted differently, we could have avoided this.”

I’m convinced ‘if onlys’ are the enemy’s henchman. They don’t just saunter along next to me making suggestions. No, they chase me down all the while shouting and condemning til my arm pits turn sweaty and my heart pounds. They plot to knock me off my feet.

All those ‘if onlys’ are the enemy’s way of dressing up doubt, of convincing me God isn’t over everything. He wants me to believe this situation is on the fringes of God’s redemption and outside His grace. It’s just another way to trick me into focusing more on me and less on Christ.

I don’t want ‘if only’ to be the boss of me.

So, I grab my  sword and shield  and remember this,

“Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet…God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.”

Ephesians 6: 13, 15 {The Message}

And the indispensable weapon says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Saying and praying those words helps me fight confidently because He’s promised my faith and His Word will keep me standing. Come what may, His goodness reigns as His mercy rains.

Do you ever feel the hot breath of an ‘if only’ or two on your neck? How do you show ’em who’s boss?

Related