What If It Turns Out Better Than You Expect?

What If It Turns Out Better Than You Expect?

Recently, I visited the ocean.  While standing on my hotel room terrace, I saw that about 300 feet from the shoreline there was a large sandbar. My imagination starting to wonder about all the amazing things that would be available to see in that place past the shoreline.  I wanted to touch sea life, find a sand dollar, swim near a dolphin, and snorkel.

I grabbed my family and my snorkeling gear and we headed out through the waves to the sandbar.  I soon realized 300 feet is a little further than I thought it was.  My family did too. Snorkeling to the reef, I kept my head down and focused on the ocean floor below me. It was an amazing swim but at one point I stopped moving forward, began to tread water, and looked around.  I was alone with the entire ocean all around me.

Instantly every shark movie I had ever seen flooded my brain!  All the “WHAT IF” thoughts started rolling in and a slight moment of panic started. Now, the beauty of how God made our minds is that as quickly as thoughts come in is how quickly we can decide what we want to do with those thoughts. With a deep breath, I spoke out loud to myself, (I have learned there is great power in voice-activated words)

“Kalyn, what are you doing? Fear has no place in you!”

I adjusted my goggles and snorkel, stretched forward, and focused on the ocean floor below me. As I swam, I asked my Father, “What is the lesson here I am to learn?”   Simply stated it is this:  “I am not responsible to worry about the entire ocean around me in life, I’m to focus on what is in front of me, the NOW that I am living in. Fear and anxiety creep in when I focus on what’s ahead of me or what’s behind me. My PRESENT – NOW is where I am to live.”

Soon I reached the sandbar and shortly after, so did my family.  We had an amazing afternoon there.

Yep, I touched a sand dollar, saw some amazing sea life, oh and that dolphin I wanted to swim with….it swam about 5 feet in front of me…AMAZING!!!

Before I made it to the sandbar I had the opportunity to do one of two things: one, freeze in fear and miss out on the blessings of my moment or two, control my thoughts – stop the fear and thrive in the moment I was in.  Fear has no place in our lives, we simply must declare this all the time.

Have you ever heard the acronym for fear, False Evidence Appearing Real?  It’s a very true acronym.  Yes, I was far from shore and yes, there probably were some sea creatures nearer than I care to be aware of and yes, I was alone for a bit, but I am not responsible to worry about the entire ocean, I am to simply stay focused on what is in front of me. I get to enjoy that moment I am in.

A vital key to our success is to remember that we are given the present.  Fear starts entering when we allow ourselves to try to think through all the days that are ahead or behind and what may be in those days. We can miss out on too many joys when we aren’t able to see the moments in front of us for fear of what tomorrow brings or what yesterday held.

“Refuse to worry about tomorrow…”  Mathew 6:34 TPT

If I want to make it forward, I can’t worry about a time I am not in. When I was speaking to my oldest son about this sharing he told me something,  “Mom”, he said,  “when our minds try to attach us with our past it is like a thief trying to rob a house we once lived in.  We don’t live there anymore, the past is not our home!”   I am in the now and the now is what I am supposed to thrive in.  Worry enslaves me to the unknown so therefore, I am refusing to worry.

I heard a quote the other day from a man named John Piper.

“Kings build their thrones on the worry of their people.”

This reminded me of how the media is used to push fear. Well, not my King baby!  Jesus built His kingdom on confidence and trust.  He taught us not to worry or fear or be anxious.  The aim of His Kingship is to be free from all of that!

“This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life, for all that you need will be provided…” Mathew 6:25

“Consider the birds-do you think they worry about their existence…Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they?…” Mathew 6:26

“So then, forsake your worries…”  Mathew 6:31

Faith and trust are how we honor God.  We just choose to think that way.  

In my home, we say all the time, “What if it turns out better than you can expect.”  This always reminds me to live in a place of gratitude, grace, joyful anticipation, and a place of love – NOT fear.

Did you know that love casts out fear, gratitude casts out oppression and depression, and grace casts out judgment?  This is where we can live every day, in each present moment – in a place of love, gratitude, and grace.

LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR

GRATITUDE CASTS OUT OPPRESSION & DEPRESSION

GRACE CASTS OUT JUDGMENT

When I have struggles in a specific place in life I have begun to laser-focus my gratitude specifically on that subject.  For example, if I’m struggling with a person, I laser-focus my gratitude on that person. I focus on all their good points, all their abilities, all the things I love about that person. I bring total gratitude to that person and any fear of the “what ifs” disappear.  Laser focusing our gratitude is how we live in a place of love, grace, and gratitude AND it defeats fear.

But, God….

I put together a “But God” list for myself.  This list reminds me that I have no reason to fear but only love. No reason to be depressed, only grateful, and no reason to judge only give grace.  I’d like to share it with you.

1. But, God…gives the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6
2. But, God…showed His love toward me. Romans 5:8
3. But, God…hears me. Psalms 66:19
4. But, God…is faithful. 1 Corinthians 10:13
5. But, God…means good for me. Genesis 50:20
6. But, God…has mercy on me. Philippians 2:27
7. But, God…knows my heart. Luke 16:15
8. But, God…is the source of my power. Romans 13:1
9. But, God…is grace. 1 Peter 5:10
10. But, God…gives me increase. 1 Corinthians 3:7
11. But, God…calls me to peace. 1 Corinthians 7:15
12. But, God…reveals truths to me through the spirit in me. 1 Corinthians 2:10
13. But, God…is always with me. Genesis 48:21
14. But, God…takes care of the enemy. Psalms 68:21
15. But, God…makes it all possible. Matthew 19:26

See, there is no room for fear when I remember He’s got me! He’s in my moments and I just enjoy the moment I am in.  I encourage you to remember, you do not have to take on the entire ocean in life. You get to live in the present moment and enjoy all the blessings that are right there. Live in a place of gratitude, live in a place of love, live in a place of grace.

What if it turns out better than you can expect?

I want to close with 1 John 4:18 from a few different translations.

(King James Version)

 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

(The Passion Translation)

Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment^[a] has not reached love’s perfection.

(Message)

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

(Amplified)

There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].

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