If there is one phrase that can surely drive people crazy with regret or guilt, then it's "What if."
Pastor Joel Osteen from Lakewood Church says that God gives people their daily grace, and yet there are many who constantly worry about grace for tomorrow.
"How many people go around trying to figure out the next five years? They play out all the 'what if's,'" he writes on his blog. "You have to be careful because the 'what if's' will depress you. The truth is, if a 'what if' does come to pass, God will give you the grace to handle it."
He gave a few examples of "what if's" that are hounding people: "What if the report's not good? What if my loved one doesn't make it? What if I do get laid off?" Whatever people's concerns might be, Osteen assures Christians that "the peace that passes understanding will be right there waiting for you."
"God promises He will arm you with strength for every battle. We may not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future," he says.
The important thing people should remember is not to miss out on today because they're too busy being worried about tomorrow. Each day is a gift that people can never get back, so it would be wasteful to use it worrying about things that might not even happen.
"If they do, it's not going to be as difficult as you think. You may not have the grace for it today, but God will give it to you when you need it," he says.
However, Osteen says that people should still plan and use common sense to figure out their battles. But at some point, they have to learn how to turn it over to God and say, "God, You know what's best for me. You said You'd give me grace for every season. And just like You clothe the lily of the fields, just like you feed the birds of the air, I know You will take care of me."
