February 7, 2026 -Turn Your "If Only" to "Even If"
- brooks16055
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Psalms 38:8-10 NIV
[8] I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. [9] All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. [10] My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.
This gets me thinking about sin.
I heard on the radio a comment about turning our "if onlys" to "even ifs". Julie Slattery was talking about understanding sexuality and intimacy from a Christian Perspective. I only heard a small portion at the end in the car. Then after reading today, I was reminded of it and went online and listen to the full broadcast. It is worth listening to young, old, single or married. I will link below. Many of the things she said have inspired the comments below.
The idea of "even if" instead of "if only" being how we are to live our lives in Christ applies to all areas of our lives. "What if", or "if only" is only a possibility and usually unlikely ones. But we will worry about those things and dream about those things. What if I get cancer. If only I could hit the lottery. But our God who absolutely is all good, all loving, all knowing, all powerful and knows exactly what is best, Him we don't trust and find peace in that truth.
At the This is Us...Amplifying Jesus women's conference in one of the breakout sessions we were asked to write down where we would like to hear God's voice better. I said in my marriage and parenting. Because that is where I feel I am most likely to react in a selfish and sinful way. The next questions was, "What is causing the static that makes it difficult for you to hear Him?". And that answer was my desires and expectations. Or in other words my if onlys. If only my husband would.... If only my children would .... If only I could.... All the if onlys result in discontentment and discontentment is what leads to sin. When my expectations are not met my response is frequently a sinful reaction.
Our struggles with sin whether it is sexual sin or others comes from our discontentment and our discontentment comes from doubting the goodness of God and who He has proven Himself to be. We think we know what we need based on what we want. We think we know what is best for us, our family and our future. And we will do everything we can to manipulate things to fulfil our own desires, thinking that it will bring us happiness. And when things don't turn out the way we want them to, or in our timing we will blame someone maybe even God or try to make it happen ourselves. In that blaming and pushing for our timing we will react in sinful ways.
Julie speaks about Habakkuk and his statements of "even if". I also found and article linked below under the video about Fear that references Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and a classic example of "Even if" living.
But the one that I think is best is Paul's teaching to the Philippians which she finishes with.
Philippians 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Julie explains that Paul's secret that he found (Secret-not everyone knows this. Found-you have to look for it) is that the only "if only" we should be thinking is. "If only I knew Christ the way He wants me to know him." "If only I were abiding in him" then I could find contentment in anything.
I talk a lot about trusting in God and His love and sovereignty. But as Julie states, "We can't trust somebody we don't know." The secret that Paul found was knowing Christ in such a way that everything else feels like rubbish.
Philippians 3:7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
That is the secret to contentment. We have to first have a heart and desire to know Him and to daily be in His word. Pray and sit with Him asking Him to reveal Himself to you. If you are really looking to know Him and know the power of his resurrection then He will be found, and you will find contentment in trusting Him.
None of us will ever be able to live a sin free life but we can do a much better job when we find contentment in Christ. When we get to know Him so well that when things don't go the way we would like even if it doesn't make sense, we can look to Him and say even if instead of sinning
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Instead of saying "If only my husband would spend time with me, I wouldn't have to seek attention from another man." Or "If only I were married I wouldn't have to be willing to have sex to feel loved." We can say "Even if my husband won't spend time with me, even if I stay single, I know that God is love and Christ loves me more than any human can He is my groom". Or "If only I get this job I will be secure and be able to provide for my family and not steel food/money from my current employer." Instead "Even if I don't get this job, I know that you are able to provide all our needs." Or "If only I or my loved one didn't have this illness then I could trust in you." Instead "Even if I or a loved one is ill, I know that you know what is best and trust you as you walk with us through it." Or "If only my children would make better choices I wouldn't have to try to worry about them." Instead, "Even if my children are living sinful life, I know that they are yours before they are mine."
Whatever your struggle is with sin ask yourself what is the "only if" possibility you're holding on to. Then go to God and His word and look to see what the definite truth is about Jesus in that situation and change your "if only" into an "even if".
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