What if . . .

Years ago I met with a couple that is as memorable today as they were then.  They developed their life story with blame and anger; anyone could see their ending would not be happily ever after.  Seriously.  Nothing remotely close to a fairytale life.  Their narrative centered on the two words, if only.  So. I gave them two new words, what if.

 I know the hard stuff of life must be addressed;  however, the way we think is a powerful force in the way our story of life goes.   

One of my favorite stories about the way we think is illustrated when Jesus fed thousands of people with two fish and five loaves of bread.  The story opens up with a marvelous picture of the crowd listening to what Jesus had to say, hanging on every word.  The focus of the story shifts at lunch time. There is no food. Well, there was one exception,  a little boy with a lunch of two fish and five loaves of bread, which would be a great story for the value of being prepared.  But.  This story has a different focus.  Thousands of hungry people are thousands of unhappy people, more interested in Jesus telling them how to line up at the buffet tables than anything else.  You can only imagine the conversations going on between Jesus' team, the disciples, as well as between families and friends in the crowd.  "If only . . .  you would have . . .  "


I wonder if anyone said, "What if Jesus uses this situation to perform a miracle?  What if . . . ?"


Consider.  

“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.(John 6:10-11, NLT)

Can you imagine looking around and seeing thousands of people eating as much as they wanted from a little boy's lunch?

Simple.  Powerful.  Life-changing.  The story changed for thousands of people that day.  Jesus made them lunch.  He cared that they were hungry and he fed them.  Period.

The thing is . . . if we change the way we think . . . focusing on God rather than on the details of our circumstances . . . shifting from if only . . . to what if . . . our story will shift from the impossibilities to the possibilities. 

It is a new day. God will make all things new.  Look again at your life.  See God in it.  Know He cares about every detail, even when you are hungry for lunch. He personalizes your story.  So.  What if. . . ?

Change your narrative from if only . . . to what if . . .  Believe God.  Believe God will do a new work in your life.

Learning to Kickstart the day focused on God, thinking about the what ifs of the day,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)