How To Experience More Blessings With What-If Questions
When life is hard it’s easy to start asking … what-if questions.
What if God hadn’t allowed this?
What if she hadn’t done that?
What if I hadn’t listened to him?
What if I had been more careful?
When was the last time you asked what-if questions because all was well and you were safe and secure?
Psalm 124 begins like this…
What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Psalm 124:1a
I wonder how many times we fail to notice or remember the Lord’s help and protection.
David noticed and continued…
Let all Israel repeat:
Psalm 124:1b–2
What if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us?
God’s Word has given us a long list of promises to assure us that the Lord is on our side…
- God is with us. (Psalm 16:8)
- God is our help and deliverer. (2 Timothy 4:18)
- God is gracious and merciful. (Psalm 111:4)
- God is caring and compassionate. (Psalm 145:9)
- God is the King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:16)
- God is righteous and just. (Psalm 89:14)
- God is holy forever and always. (Revelation 4:8)
- God is love. (John 3:16)
So, I’ve been asking myself how much of a difference it would make in my life if I started making a list of all the times I can remember God’s blessings with what-if questions.
What if God:
- hadn’t protected me?
- hadn’t healed me?
- hadn’t given me hard-to-understand peace?
- hadn’t forgiven me?
- hadn’t given me strength?
- hadn’t sent Jesus to die for me?
- ______________?
Can you imagine the difference it could make in our lives if we noticed all of God’s what-if blessings rather than blaming Him for allowing the trials we face? We rejected the negative what-if questions that rob us of our peace and leave us anxious and agitated and replaced them with positive ones that remind us of His generosity with blessings.
When Paul begged God to remove the “thorn” that tormented him, God replied…
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (CSB)
You and I are limited. God is not. He is able to give us everything we need. And I believe He wants to give us everything we need when we surrender our lives to Him.
Look at the list of things that are available to us through the power of the Holy Spirit…
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22–23)
Scripture calls these things the evidence of a life surrendered to God but imagine how you would feel if your life was full of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Those words are the very definition of a blessing-filled life!
So … let’s pause and surrender every part of ourselves to God. Imagine—what if He hadn’t sent Jesus to save us and set us free?
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Turn Our What-if Questions
Into Gratitude and Blessing Counting
Father, You are so very gracious and good. You created a perfect world for us and we have listened to the enemy’s lies and given in to sin. I am so sorry for the times I have doubted Your love and questioned Your will for me. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.
How can I doubt You, when You have given me so much? You sent Jesus to suffer my punishment and die my death to give me life. You sent the Spirit to guide me with the truth of Your promises. He even prays for me when I don’t know how to put my prayers into words. Through Him, You offer me joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And love! Your love covers every part of my life.
You give me everything I need to have a full and satisfying life. Father, when I’m tempted to ask what-if questions that doubt You and blame others … please turn me around and help me remember all the reasons I have to celebrate the countless blessings You pour into my life every day.
I pray that by the power of Your Spirit, You will help me ask what-if questions that help me focus on Your goodness and mercy—questions that help me count my blessings. Your grace is sufficient for all my needs. Your love lasts forever. Because of Jesus, I will spend eternity in Your holy presence thanking and praising You for blessing upon blessing. It’s in His holy name I pray. Amen.
David ended Psalm 124 with these words…
Our help is from the Lord,
Psalm 124:8
who made heaven and earth.
God is the creator of all things in heaven and on earth.
The Life Application Bible Notes add…
No problem is beyond His ability to solve; no circumstance is too difficult for Him. We can turn to the Creator for help in our time of need, for He is on our side.
He will provide a way for us to save us from our struggles or He will carry us through our struggles. We can trust Him.
So…
What “what-if” questions will you ask today? What questions will help you remember all the ways God has blessed you in the past, help you focus on His goodness and grace, and help you trust Him with your today, tomorrow, and your forever future?
God bless you with an abundance of countable blessings.
We would love to pray for you.
You can leave your prayer requests here…
and even take a few minutes to pray over the list left by our friends.
Never Miss an Update
Leave your email address and I’ll send you a short email every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to alert you to each new devotion. Plus you’ll receive a copy of 30 Ways to Bless Your Marriage and Keep the Spark Burning
I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi” and share your thoughts in the comments below.
And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…
Thanks again for visiting! Don’t forget to check out the links below to find additional posts that will bless you…
What a fabulous perspective you’ve offered here, Deb. Let’s count our blessings, not the negative “what-ifs.”
Blessings to you!
Thank you once again, Martha! You kind encouragement is always a much appreciated blessing. God’s richest blessings!
Thank you Deb for re-directing our focus away from the “what-ifs” that hold us back from experiencing Gods deep love for us. We are safe and secure in knowing we are always in God’s arms, he is always with us, empowering us with the strength of the Holy Spirit.
Many Blessings !
There is nothing better than knowing that we are safe and secure in His love. His grace truly is sufficient. I want to faithfully pay attention with an attitude of thanks and praise. God bless you!
What great prayers and words to help me to remain faithful to God for all his love, peace, grace, mercy, joy, patience, and humility to know he will always be there for me. Help me Lord to never question you in my life. You are my Shepard and I am your sheep and will always do your will.
Have a wonderful blessed Day Deb and all who follow your podcast.
God bless you, Ana! What a beautiful prayer request. I believe that’s a prayer He loves to answer in the positive. May He be with you and bless you as you continue to seek Him each day!
You are so right, Deb: we often fail to notice or remember the Lord’s help and protection. My problem is: it’s so easy to forget those times when God provided, like the time an important form was misplaced and turned up in the laundry basket!! (Just one small example out of hundreds.) That’s why I’m so thankful I started a journal/notebook to record God’s faithfulness to our family–in 1983. Now there are well over 1500 entries to prove: MANY what-ifs have never come to pass; MANY blessings have! (And I now the notebook provides a crutch for crippled memory!)
Nancy, thank you so much for sharing this with us. What a wonderful way to remember God’s love and faithfulness. I journal my prayers each day and there are many “thank-yous” among them but I love the beautiful way you can look back and quickly be reminded of His many blessings. Blessings and hugs!
This was a true eye opener this morning and such a blessing. I give thanks to God everyday but don’t think I could ever give him enough honor and praise for ALL he does in my life.
Thank you, Gayle! I truly appreciate your kind words of encouragement. May the Lord bless you and continue to fill you with love for Him.