Even If or Only If?

by | May 9, 2022 | Inspiration

Twenty five years ago life was going along great for Kaye and her husband Don.  Both of them were in the prime of life in their mid-50’s when suddenly their worlds were turned upside down – his literally.  Don was involved in a one car accident where his car flipped, and he was left suspended upside down by his seatbelt for 90 minutes.  He survived the accident, but as a quadriplegic. 

 

Faith in God can be a fickle thing.  Just about the time we think we’ve nailed down what we believe about Him, along comes a trial or tribulation and suddenly we’re not so sure.  Life has a way of testing us to see if what we say we believe about God is what we really believe about God, or in reality what we think we believe about God. Life has a way of revealing if the faith we claim to have in God is “even if” or “only if.”  

“Even if” faith is belief and trust in God so strong that even if the blessings of God are seemingly nonexistent, even if a person is facing or experiencing incredible pain and/or suffering, or even if he is facing great challenges, he will stand firm in his faith and continue to praise and serve God anyway.  With or without blessings, he still believes that God is love, God is good, God is wise, God is right, God provides, and God protects.  By contrast, the one with “only if” faith is willing to praise, worship, and serve the Lord only if his life is filled with the blessings of God, and absent from pain, suffering, and challenges which require much faith.  As well, he may find himself struggling to believe God really is loving, good, wise, right, a provider and protector.

  • “Even if” is the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they stood before the fiery furnace in Daniel 4:17-18 and told King Nebuchadnezzar, “…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of burning fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods, or worship the golden image you have set up. (NASB)” 
  • “Even if” is the faith of Job in Job 13:15 – “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him….(NASB)”
  • “Even if” is the faith of the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk who in Habakkuk 3:17-18 declared, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields yield no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation (NASB).”
  • “Even if” is the faith of Kaye.

Don passed away recently at age 81.  In my role as one of the pastors in her church, I worked with Kaye and her daughters to plan his funeral.  I asked them if they had a favorite scripture for me to consider using during the funeral.  Kaye quickly offered the Habakkuk 3:17-18 passage above.  She explained that the sermon she had heard the Sunday before Don’s accident was based on that passage.  Not only did it carry her through those initial days of hospitalization, but it also had carried her for twenty five years while caring for him at home.  The faith she had in God the day of the accident was an even stronger faith on the day of his death.  She had been tested and tried, and found to be standing firm in her “even if” faith in God.

How can we reach the level of “even if” faith in God?  Let me share a few key items with the understanding that though this list is not exhaustive, each item is essential.

  1. Settle up front once and for all what you believe about the nature and character of God so that you will not wonder and doubt what God is really like when you are in the midst of life’s storms.2 Warning: Possessing a correct understanding and belief about the love, wisdom, goodness, power, justice, faithfulness of God as revealed in the Bible is critical.
  2. Stand firm in the truth that God has an overall purpose and plan for the world and for you and others, and is constantly at work to bring that plan and purpose to fruition. We must especially believe that part of His work is to “cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NASB)
  3. Don’t be hesitant to voice your why questions to God, because He is more than able to handle them.  But make sure when you ask them, that you ask in faith so that you can believe God even more, rather than in doubt so that you can doubt God even more.

Is your faith “even if” or “only if”?  If you’re not sure, wait a while and life will let you know.

1Henry T. Blackaby and Claude King, Experiencing God, LifeWay Press, 1990, p. 42.