How often have you been tempted to ask the "If only" question? You know the questions go like this: If only I had married him/her, If only I had a better job, If only I had a better house, and etc. The "If only" monster can be quite deadly if we let him.
I was reading today in 1 Corinthians 7 (the Message) "And don't be wishing you were some place else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there." The only way I have been able to tame the "If only" monster is to apply the principle of this verse. Dianne and I have been in a lot of tough places in the ministry, and the "if only" monster drove me bananas. I kept hearing, "If only you were in a bigger church, then you would be a success." I learned to beat that monster down with this simple phrase, "God has placed me here, If I can't succeed here I won't succeed anywhere." After saying that about a 1,000 times, I started to believe it and the "if only" monster lost his power over me.
So I encourage you with the words of Paul, "Live and obey and love and believe right where you are." If you can do this the "if only" monster will have to fade away into the shadows.
So here is the discussion question for the day. Leave me a comment with your answer.
What have been the "if only" questions that you have had to struggle with?
What have you had to say to yourself to get rid of the "if only" monster?
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