IF ONLY

If Only

"Behold, I was brought forth into iniquity, and in sin did my my mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5

I serve in a ministry that reaches men, women and teens who have allowed life dominating sin to reign and rule in their lives. I have listened to hundreds of men tell their stories over my short 12 years as President and CEO of America's KESWICK. I have heard so many men use these two little words, "If only ..."

Those words frame excuse after excuse justifying why they are in the condition they are in. There is much blame shifting. But if I am really honest with myself, I am so guilty of the same thing in my life when it comes to my sin.

I have been sharing with your from Paul David Trips book, WHITER THAN SNOW -- Meditations on Sin and Mercy (published by our friends at Crossway). He addresses this "If Only" syndrome in a powerful way:

It's so easy to slip into an "if only" lifestyle. I find myself slipping into it often. The "if only" possibilities are endless:

If only I had been from a more stable family.
If only I'd had better friends as I was growing up.
If only my parents had sent me to better schools.
If only I'd been given better intellectual gifts.
If only that accident hadn't happened.
If only I'd had better physical health.
If only that degree program had been as good as advertised.
If only I'd been able to find a better job.
If only I didn't have to fight the traffic every day.
If only I'd been able to get married.
If only I hadn't gotten married so young.
If only I had a more understanding spouse.
If only I had come to know Christ earlier.
If only I had found a good church when I was young.
If only I didn't have to struggle with my finances.
If only I could find a small group that I could be comfortable with.
If only my children were more obedient.
If only I knew my Bible better.
If only that boss hadn't fired me.
If only I had a better place to live.
If only God seemed closer to me.
If only ....

and brothers, I am sure we could add to the list. Dr. Tripp goes on to say that the seductive thing about our "if only" is that there is a bit of plausibility in all of them. We do live in a fallen world. We all face hardships of various kinds. We all have been sinned against in a variety of ways. None of us has ever lived in ideal circumstances or in perfect relationships. The world is a broken place and we have all been touched in many ways by its brokenness. Yet the "if only" lifestyle tends to say, "My biggest problems in life exist outside of me and not inside of me."

David wants us to understand that it isn't the external stuff that is the issue. It is the internal thing in our hearts that is the problem -- my sin and yours.

Think about it this way: it is the evil that is inside of you that either magnetizes you to evil outside of you or causes you to deal with the evil outside of you in a way that is wrong. It is only when you begin to accept that your greatest problem in all of life is not what has happened or been done to you that you begin to get excited about the rescuing grace of Jesus Christ.

It is only when you begin to accept that your greatest need is something with which you came into the world that you will begin to hunger for the help that only God can give you. It is only then that you will begin to hunger for more than changes of situation and relationship.

It is only then that you will begin to accept the most radical and personally liberating truth you could ever conceive. What is that truth? It is that what you and I need to be rescued from is ourselves! We are the biggest damage to ourselves. That is why God offers us the gorgeous promise of his grace which has the power to change us from the inside out."

Brothers, this is life-transforming truth. I can stop wallowing in the "if onlys" of life, and for the first time, accept God's rescuing, transforming grace! The question is am I willing to embrace it? I am. How about you? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 4; Psalm 143-145; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40

Great Quote: A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing. -- Oswald Chambers

Please check out this weeks STEWARDSHIP INSIGHT from George. As always, George's insight is right on:http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/