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I went home for Spring Break this year. By home, I mean, to my parents’ because it will always be “home” to me. The kids needed a break from the mundane of life and of course we all wanted to spend time with my family.
Honestly, I went with an ulterior motive. I had plans to meet up with a childhood friend who has battled cancer for the past 8 years and 1 month. It had been some time since we had gotten together just because life has been busy. This time, we made it happen. It is amazing how her recent diagnosis of “brain cancer” can put things in perspective.
It was amazing how we picked up like we’d never stopped. I believe true friendship is like that. After a fun night reminiscing and then dropping my friend off at her home, my mind went wild. When I got home and laid in bed, I began texting my husband trying to make sense of all the thoughts bombing my brain. He knew that my friend and I had gone out to supper and that my mind would be whirling with thoughts and emotions.
I began by sharing the assortment of thoughts that battled in my mind. My husband in all of his wisdom replied back:
What if all of God’s promises are true?
What if His mercies really are new every morning?
What if He really knew you before you were born and has plans for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you?
What if God…
I texted back “Where’d u get this?”.
He replied, “Just saying…What if…”.
He continued on.
Think about the “what if” and His promises instead of the “What if Little Man…” or “What if Bubs…” or the “What if your friend…”. Or “What if… mom, dad, your brother, me, Heidi!!!” Stop!
What if God is sovereign?
What if His yoke is easy?
What if He has the peace that passed all understanding?
What if something good happens?
What if you know Good, the person, Jesus…
Let Him hold you tonight.
A few nights later we came back to the topic through text. I shared:
What if…God isn’t just sending bad my way…
He replied, “What if God wants to give you peace?“.
I don’t know if it was the way I was raised, my personality, or what life has sent my way. Maybe I have a glass-half-empty view of God. But I find that every once in a while I struggle to see God as a loving and good God.
I mean…if it was God’s will for me to unexpectedly lose my 18-year-old sister, then will extreme grief be again God’s will for my future? Grief comes in many shapes and sizes but no matter, my heart fears breaking again.
Oh, you struggle with this too?
While my heart fears, I have to choose to stand on the promises of God’s character! God is good. God is gracious. God is sovereign. God is loving.
My world was rocked to the core when my sister was killed 14 years ago. Suddenly I needed something to cling to. I needed a promise from God that I could stand on when everything around me came crashing down.
Jeremiah 29:11 became my go-to verse.
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
My husband knows this is my cornerstone verse. Do you remember what he texted me?
What if He really knew you before you were born and has plans for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you?
What if all of God’s promises are true?
So I ask you. What promise from God are you fighting? What character of God do you struggle to believe?
Sister, take my hand because you are not alone. Join me for Wednesday’s blog post as I expound on the “What if” idea from a very familiar passage of Scripture.
I totally needed that. I have been struggling lately. I am a backslidden Christian fighting to get back into the swing of things and the devil know it. He is working hard to keep me from God.