What’s the BEST that Could Happen?

Submitted by Jennifer Power

Looking out my window in prayer this morning, I said to the Lord, “lead me where You would have me go,” and in my mind I heard the words of Jesus to Peter saying he will be led where he would not wish to go, referring to the death Peter would die for the gospel (John 21:18-19).

That old familiar friend, fear, started creeping back in and before I knew it I was imagining horrors which might come my way by giving God free reign in my life.

I quickly cut myself off from this line of thinking.

“Enough!”, I thought. “Is God out to hurt and harm you, or is God for you?”

(Yes, I often talk to myself…)

Last week, I shared how God had once led me to look at my fears straight on and give an answer to ‘would I follow Jesus even if doing so would bring about my worst nightmares’.

I have said yes to God – an unconditional yes, and I know that even though God loves me, in this life, suffering will come. I know that in whatever God allows to come my way, He will walk with me. He will bring me through, and in the end, He will win, and I will win with Him.

That matter is settled, so enough already with sitting around and imagining horrors. Enough. Such thinking is not from God because see, I ALSO know the only life worth living is the life lived in Him. I know if I protected myself and my family from every side and thus avoided tragedies; if I acquired all wealth, power, status, and fame, and every luxury I could imagine; THAT life would pale in comparison to even the most tragic life I could imagine which was lived in Him.

So today I have a new challenge for you and me. Our imaginations are a gift from God, and He did not give them to us for the purpose of imagining all manner of horrors. Let us take a few minutes today and use our imaginations for a far better purpose. Let us imagine the BEST that could happen. Let us be encouraged, strengthened, inspired, and energized by our thinking rather than drained, filled with dread, and left shaking and paralyzed in fear.

For me, here is the best that I can imagine happening:

• My children could love the Lord with all their hearts, have unmatched kindness and compassion in thoughts, words and actions, and be forces of hope, healing, and joy to those whose lives they touch.
• My children could grow up learning what it means to be an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ and set the example for many others to follow. My husband and I could learn from them how real life in Jesus looks.
• My children could be free from hurts, hang-ups and insecurities which are often unnoticed forces in my own life.
• Families could find the resolve, strength, and clear example to find the pure joy and peace of life in Christ by being around our family.
• Our family could be an example of what it means to empty ourselves and follow Jesus, which others would eagerly follow.
• Our family could be instrumental in bringing about a revival in our culture of people turning away from materialism and consumerism and greed and entitlement toward wholehearted, purposeful devotion to the one true Savior and Lord.
• I could be a constant source of encouragement to my husband.
• I could grow in wisdom and knowledge of Him and use my passion for such treasures to educate, encourage, inspire, and strengthen people in their life with Him.
• I could live my life surrounded by the knowledge of and felt presence of God, being constantly led by Him, in unending interaction with Him and humbly watching Him move through my life.
• I could learn to truly love and truly receive love.
• My life could be a song and dance to and with the Creator of my very soul.

I do not know what this life will bring. I do not know if I have tomorrow – if my children or my husband have tomorrow.

I do know we all have choices in life to make.

Will we respond to God’s gift of costly grace by emptying ourselves and following Him in total abandonment or will we cling to whatever small amount of control we can grasp?

Will we live our lives in fear, or will we live our lives in hope?

Will we strive for a life of safety and security, or will we cling to the promises of God and open our lives to the (sometimes) terrifying prospect of letting God direct our lives?

Will we choose life or will we choose fear?

So yes, look your fears straight in the face – acknowledge them. Then give them to God and commit to following Him, come what may.

Then, with the knowledge that God is for us and loves us beyond what we could begin to comprehend, dare to dream what could be. Dare to imagine the BEST that could happen. Cling tight to God and embrace the LIFE Jesus lived and died to give us.

May God’s Holy Spirit lead and guide us as we set our course toward that narrow path.