Banishing “But”
We need to virtually banish the word but from our vocabulary. But can be okay, occasionally showing up with a positive slant on things. Unfortunately, but frequently shows up with its pal if or worse, with its two best friends, what if.
But and but what if can wreck havoc in the heart and mind. They like to invite their friends, fear and worry, to “come and sit a spell”…indefinitely. These are some of the enemy’s favorite words, often whispered in times of trouble or distress.
“But what if you loose your job?”
“But what if that mistake ends in getting sued, or worse?!”
“But what if that lump is cancer?”
Recently, a potentially life changing situation occurred in the life of one I love. What if made a flamboyant appearance (they didn’t need their friend but to make their point). Drawing me into a vortex, I spiraled down a deep chasm. Just before I reached bottom, I realized they were having a party: it was in full swing – at my expense.
I realized I had to start thinking differently. I needed to make a choice to “renew my mind” (see Romans 12:2). I needed to banish but what if and their havoc raising friends (fear and worry) before the culprits caused more damage. I needed to remember Your promises and refocus my mind:
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3, English Standard Version).
I reminded myself that trusting the Lord is a choice (which I have to make over and over again); it doesn’t happen by default. It requires looking at Him instead of the frighting illusions the enemy conjures up with but what if.
Climbing out of a crevasse isn’t easy. It requires constant focus on Him, using the hand-holds found in His Word, and choosing to trust and believe that those hand-holds – His promises – are firm and true.
It also requirers choosing to live today, not tomorrow (or yesterday), while trusting Him and doing my best today. When tomorrow becomes today He will be there, ready to banish but what if if I keep my focus on Him.
Copyright, Debbie Lowe, 2019.
Photo by Yuliya Kosolapova on Unsplash (SP Adobe Spark)
