What If…
Insights From Vacation Bible School
Escaping the Land of Worry
The “What If” Kid
“What if the cookies are gone? What if the Kool-Aid runs out? What if my dad forgets to pick me up and I miss my baseball game?”
That was Eric—our resident "What If" kid.
Every day, his mind spun out scenarios of disaster that hadn’t happened yet (and probably never would). His nervous energy filled the room like static before a storm.
Ryan, always the peacemaker, tried to reassure him. “Don’t worry. There’s always more cookies. And if your dad forgets, my mom will take you home.”
Eric nodded but never quite believed it.
Because worry doesn’t surrender to logic—it surrenders only to love.
The Root of Worry
Worry is rarely about circumstances—it’s about control.
It’s the illusion that if we just think through every possible outcome, we’ll somehow feel safe.
But safety doesn’t come from certainty; it comes from surrender.
At its core, worry says, “I want to be God.”
I want to manage, prevent, predict, and protect.
But every “what if” reveals a deeper truth: I’m afraid of letting go.
Jesus asked, “Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27)
We know the answer. Yet we still try—stacking mental sandbags against an imaginary flood.
Trading “What If” for “Even If”
There’s a better question than what if?
It’s even if.
Even if the cookies run out.
Even if the plan falls apart.
Even if my heart breaks—God will still be good.
Faith doesn’t erase uncertainty—it rests in the middle of it.
It says, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow.”
When you live in the land of even if, fear loses its throne and peace finds its home.
Reflection
What “what ifs” keep your heart restless or fearful?
What might change if you replaced those with “even if”?
How is God inviting you to trust His presence more than your plans?
Prayer