The Empty Promise of ‘If Only’

Empty Promises

Many things in life promise us that if we could only reach to attain them, our life would then be worry free. But their promises return empty every single time.

You lose the weight. But now you anxiously watch the scale.
You build up your emergency fund to a comfortable place. But now you fearfully guard every penny.
Your children seem to be growing more outwardly obedient. But now you feel their hearts seem to be growing bitter.
You and your husband reach some agreement on long standing issues. But new conflict is unearthed in the process.
God brings a wonderful friend into your life. But you soon realize that friendships take a significant investment of time and effort in order to flourish.

The “if only” sounds good at first, but it’s never sufficient. It always fail us.

What is our hope in?

God showed this to Jeremiah about the futility of trusting in people:

“Thus says the LORD:
‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.”
Jeremiah 17:5-6 ESV

God tells Jeremiah that those who choose to trust in man are cursed. This applies to any earthly thing we place our hope in; it will leave us dried up and weary. It will steal every ounce of joy with each, ‘If Only’. Though they promise peace and prosperity, they can only bring dread and disappointment.

The Sufficiency of God

But God does not end there with Jeremiah. He goes on to declare a better place to put our hope:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV

We can find peace from our constant striving in worry when we trust in God. Unlike temporary, earthly things, He never fails. Paul, who was faced with angry mobs, imprisonment, and hunger, was able to declare, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:12-13 ESV

Your life is not the exception. If you can trust God with the eternal state of your soul, to save you from sin and death, you can also trust Him with your life on earth. Though at times you may face persecution, suffering, or being in need, you can find strength and true peace in God alone. He will strengthen you to endure those difficult seasons. He will be your refuge when the heat of trials blazes down.

Practical Ways to Set Your Hope In God

In the same letter he wrote about being content in Christ, Paul writes how believers can escape the temptation of worry: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

When we choose to pray about our concerns, God promises that we will find peace in Him. It’s when we cling to our worries instead of entrusting them to the will of God that fear overwhelms us. We know we are insufficient to find the perfect answer to our problems, and that is terrifying. But when we turn to the God who is able and wise to take care of us, then we can find peace in laying our worries before Him.

Continue to grow in your knowledge and affections for God. As you come to understand more about His character and attributes, you will become increasingly aware of how much better He is than the ‘if only’. The ‘if only’ will pale in comparison to the grandeur and power of our God as you learn more about Him.

This is what I faced during my last few weeks in university. I soon realized that going home wasn’t going to bring an end to my anxiety. If I wanted everlasting peace from worry, God taught me through His Word that I had to first place my hope in Him, and Him alone.