I wonder, What If?

My washer and dryer have both been on the fritz of late, which means I’ve been spending some quality time at the local Laund-O-Rama. It can be an interesting place, that Laund-O-Rama. When you look around at the other patrons you can easily tell who has waited until the very last possible day to wash their clothes. I mean, where else would you see someone wearing green and orange plaid Bermuda shorts with a faded NSync t-shirt in public? For that matter, who would wear that same combination at home? Talk about your Wardrobe Malfunctions!

Stop staring! But it’s hard not to stare – I can’t help it if this person is wearing something so unnatural that it naturally draws attention to himself. His clothing combination, that sore for sighted eyes, makes me feel uncomfortable. I can’t help thinking, that could have been me if I had waited a couple of more days to do my washing!

picture by punkifunkimunki1 via photobucket.com

Every now and then I ponder how life might have turned out, had I made different decisions along the journey. What if I had gone to a different school? Gone out with someone else? Married someone else? What if we had never moved to Central California, or not moved back when we did? The list goes on and on.



But I think the most horrifying “What If” I have ever pondered is What if I never realized that there is a God who loves me? I’ve always known that I was loved by people – I’m just the loveable type, I guess – but what if I sensed that was not enough, that there was still something missing? I wonder what would I have tried to fill the void with? Alcohol? Drugs? A heart of Velcro that attaches itself to whomever, whenever? Become a work-a-holic, chasing the almighty dollar? In time, I’d be back to square one, back to sensing a void in my life, looking for a way to fill it. Is this all there is to life?

Praise God that He relentlessly pursues the ones He loves! Praise God that I didn’t wait longer than I did to respond to God’s tug on my heart! Had I not, had I waited even one more day than I did, I firmly believe my life would be entirely different, and not in a good way.

Life might not be all RedVines and white chocolate, even with God in control. He never promised it would be. But He does want us to come to Him and come clean. It’s not too late – even if you feel like your life has been reduced to mis-matched plaid shorts and boy-band t-shirts. He still loves you. He is still pursuing you. You don’t have to keep filling the void with things that leave you empty in the long run. If you have been feeling God tugging on your heart, stop running. Turn around respond to Him. What if you do?

Or worse, What if you don’t?