The "What-If" Moments

This picture accurately depicts my heart and mind some days.

Unfortunately,  I am a worrier by nature.  The words "What-If" are always swirling in my mind. My husband can attest to this. I can't tell you how many times he has said, "Morgan, I'm just gonna trust God. He is pretty good at what He does. If I try to handle it on my own, I'm gonna screw it up." That's the type of response I WANT to have, but why is it so hard to sometimes trust that God WILL do what He says He is going to do? I recently picked up a devotional book called "Trusting God: A Life Without Worry" by Women of Faith. (Ladies, I got it at SAMS Club for less than $6, if you're interested.) I thought to myself, "now this is something I need to read."

I've started doing them first thing in the morning when I get to work. Today's devotional was about Issac's Unforgettable Love Story (Read Genesis 24) and dealt with the "what-ifs" in life. I've read this story numerous times but I learned something new today. Just to catch everyone up to speed: Issac was the Son of Abraham and Sarah. Because God had promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations, his son Issac would have to have a son.  The first order of business was to find him a bride, but the bride needed be suitable (aka love the Lord). "What if" Issac couldn't find a suitable bride?

So Abraham gave one of his trusted servant's specific instructions to go and find a suitable wife for his son, Issac. Wow...what kind of pressure is that? Can you imagine the "what-ifs" the servant had? Instead of "worrying" about the situation, he laid out a very specific prayer request to God. 

"Lord, God of my master Abraham, " he prayed, "give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.  I am standing here at the spring where my daughters of the man of the town are coming out to draw water.  Let the girl to whom I say, 'Please lower the water jug, so that I may drink,' and who responds, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also' - let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Issac.  By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master." (Genesis 24:12-14)

Wow. What a SPECIFIC prayer to God. It made me wonder why I am not that specific in a prayer request. Why don't I pour out the details of my heart instead of saying things like, "God you know the situation." It made me think about having lunch with a girlfriend and how we can talk and talk and talk. What if I looked at her and just said..."well...ya know."  That doesn't leave much room for conversation.  I wonder when the last time was that I prayed a bold prayer of expectation....specific enough that if it happened, I just KNEW it had to be God's intervention. I know it has been awhile since I was THAT specific.  Well, you can believe it will start today.

The other part that I noticed is that by praying a specific prayer (which God answered before the servant had even finished the prayer) 2 amazing things happened:

1. The servant was able to testify to Rebekah and her family his specific prayer request and how God answers. It was a huge testimony to how God works in our lives.

2. When Rebekah's family was asked if she would stay with the family or go to be joined with Issac, the family responded by saying, "This is from the Lord; we have no choice in the matter." (Genesis 24:50)

How comforting to know that we can bring every detail of our lives to the heart of the Father - even the "what-ifs". In addition to that, when we pray specific prayers to God, when He answers them, (which He ALWAYS does, by yes, no, or wait), we can say "This is from the Lord."

It definitely helps those leaps of faith feel less scary when we know that Sovereign God, the one who has absolutely everything under control , is directing our steps and is in the details.

What are the "What-ifs" in your life right now? I encourage you to join me in taking your Question Marks to God and allow Him to add the Period. It will testify to the fact that your journey will be full of Exclamation Points!

For His Renown,
Morgan