Dwelling on the past
What if…is a thought process or a way of living that impacts many people. Always living with doubts or regrets. Not a very fruitful mindset for fulfilling your purpose in life I would suggest. It’s a game we all have played athttps://abidingfathers.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Regretful-Male-e1502393825975.jpeg least one time in our life. What if I had gone to the other school, married the other person, taken the other job—it’s endless if you will allow yourself to dredge back into the past.
But, what if we try a couple of scenarios? You are a dad, your children are living at home, you have a marriage that functions most of the time. What are the ‘what ifs’ you might want to explore and how would it make a difference in you and your family? Maybe these two are good for starters.
What if I had all the money I needed and worked only when I chose to?
How would I use the time and money to prosper my family? What’s your answer? I’m serious!
What if I had chosen to influence my children more in the ways of the Lord up till now?
What would that have looked like in your family? Well, we’re waiting.
Prioritize your time
The truth is—God has given you all the time you need each day. Everyone has 24 hours. How are you prioritizing it? And Mt. 6.33 is an all-out promise from him. Listen to it. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Maybe you are or have been ‘seeking’ all the wrong things? Just maybe. Maybe you don’t trust God to fulfill his part of the promise? He does say, all—and he uses the term, add!
Faith in God’s truth and promises are paramount in not playing the game of ‘what if’. See, it’s not really the lack of time and money, and it’s not the fact you have not been the perfect mentor and model to your children to date. So, what is it? I suggest it is trying to be the dad…God wants you to be in your own strength. You can’t, but God–can and will! He is fully equipped as the Everlasting Father. You have just got to start trusting him, and let him do it through you. “Sounds so simple”, you say. It isn’t, but it is all about redirecting the energy you are using up to now and refocusing it.
No ‘what ifs’
First, get serious daily about building a strong relationship with the Father through the word and prayer. The Spirit will start altering your thought process, your priorities, your desires. There won’t be room for any ‘what ifs’. Jesus is the believer’s High Priest and he is interceding for you, so how can you fail? No ‘what ifs’—just results! Watch him take your talents, assets, time and work mighty miracles. He fed 5,000 men and their families with a few loaves of bread and fish—your situation is a piece of cake compared to that. What have you got to lose? Your wife and kids will rise up and thank you.
