If only...
Young Charlie, moved to Devon and bought a Donkey from a farmer for
£100.00.
The farmer agreed to deliver the Donkey the next day.
The next day he drove up and said, 'Sorry son, but I have some bad news,
the donkey died.'
Charlie replied,
'Well, then just give me my money back.'
The farmer said,
'Can't do that. I went and spent it already.'
Charlie said,
'Ok, then, just bring me the dead donkey.'
The farmer asked,
'What are you going to do with him?
Charlie said,
'I'm going to raffle him off.'
The farmer said,
You can't raffle off a dead donkey!'
Charlie said,
'Sure I can Watch me.. I just won't tell anybody he's dead.'
A month later, the farmer met up with
Charlie and asked, 'What happened with that dead donkey?'
Charlie said,
'I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at £2 a piece and made a
profit of £898.00.'
The farmer said,
'Didn't anyone complain?'
Charlie said,
'Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two pounds back.'
Charlie now works for the government.
Luke 16:8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
We don’t commend the dishonesty but there is sometimes something to be learned from people who don’t have faith but have an ability to get on and live life!
Many people, including many Christians, are restricted by a “what if…” or an “if only…” mentality
Faced with a dead donkey you can sit around and mourn for the donkey saying “if only I had a live donkey” or you can say “OK, I’ve got a dead donkey how can I move forwards from here?”
We all have a bit of dead donkey in our lives – things that didn’t work out as we expected, let downs, disappointments, betrayals, failures
As Christmas reminds us that another year is almost over there can be a part of us that says “if only…”
A part of us that mourns our situation – that says things would be a whole lot better if…
We have a God who answers prayer – a God who changes situations
But…
We also need to know how to live now – to be a people who are not paralysed by circumstances – a people who are not forever waiting for circumstances to change before we start living the life that God intends for us
Many people are aware that they are not living in God’s best for them and know that they need to do things differently but then blame present circumstances and say, “I would do things differently if only…”
Often inactivity or disobedience is blamed on circumstances but God knows our circumstances and wants us to live with a “nevertheless” attitude rather than an “if only” attitude
Seven paralysing thoughts – seven “if only” type situations that can keep us inactive and rob us of God’s best – write them down and put them to death:
1. Too poor
A very seasonal thought!
“I could do so much more for God if he would just sort out my financial situation”
Luke 21:1-4 has put in more than all the others
This woman did not wait for God to make her rich before she gave
She didn’t reason that there were plenty of others with lots of gold who could do a better job
She just acted in faith and did what was right in the eyes of God and that day he turned up in human form to witness her doing so and commended her for it
Luke 16:10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much
If you wait for the much before you do what is right you may just get stuck with the little!
2. Wrong job
52% of people in Britain would like to change career if they could
This has the potential for quite a lot of “if only…” thinking
Col. 3:22-24 work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord
Being a slave is a duff job! If there was ever a dead end career or a job that didn’t maximise a person’s potential than slave might just be it
Friend of mine who works in a plastics factory when asked his occupation answers modern day slave!
Are you a slave? Be the best slave ever!
Remember Joseph (Gen. 39) – sold as a slave – soon he was in charge of the house – put in prison – soon he was in charge of the prison – after this he ran the country
Don’t wait for the job change – be the best and let God promote you to better things!
3. Wrong place
In weather like we’ve had recently it is easy to think that there must be a better place to live!
Place can be job as just mentioned, or where you live, or who you live with – oppression of situation comes in many forms
“Lord, just get me out of this place so that I can serve you better”
Acts 8:1-8 preached the word wherever they went
A brother stoned, fierce persecution…and great miracles and joy!
Don’t let what you are be shaped by where you are – let God shape you first and if you don’t fit he will move you
4. Too weak
Are you the best? Are you the strongest, the fastest, the most intelligent, the most beautiful, the most popular, the most influential?
If not you could be at risk of saying “if only…”
1 Cor. 1:26-31 But God chose…
God does not make mistakes – if he calls you to do a thing then he can enable you to do it!
It can sound humble to speak of your weaknesses – actually it is more often in reality arguing with God – stop it!
5. Not well enough
“Sorry Lord I can’t really serve you today – here’s my sick note”
Controversial one this one – but I am not at all seeking to undermine the fact that we have a God who heals
Not seeking to be fatalistic – don’t settle for sickness when we are commanded to pray for healing – but…
Gal. 4:13-14 Because of an illness I first preached the gospel to you
We don’t know the story behind this but we do know that the church in Galatia began when Paul preached to them while he was ill
Paul was a man who saw many amazingly healed and who knew what it was to be healed himself (remember Acts 14 when he was stoned nearly to death and was raised up after the believers gathered round him) – yet he also was a man who didn’t wait for his healing before he did what God called him to do
Are you ill? Listen to what God says you can do not just the doctor!
6. Bad history
Some of the most powerfully damaging and paralysing “if only…” thoughts are the ones that include “if only I hadn’t…”
If your life so far was presented to you as a book would you want to read it?
Would you let anyone else read it?
1 Cor. 15:9-10 do not even deserve to be called an apostle because…
But by the grace of God Paul became who he became – a great apostle
As with your weaknesses God knows you – stop arguing with him – he is calling you!
7. Too old or too young
Lots of things have age limits on them – for a while it was great not to be asked if I was 18 – now I’m almost starting to miss it!
What is the perfect age to be? Are you sure? How long can you be that age anyway?
Acts 2:17-18 sons…daughters…old men…young men…men and women
In many areas of life there are age limits – not in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
The natural man knows age restrictions – the spiritual man does not
You can be a spiritual giant at any age – you can also be a spiritual dwarf
Sandcastle against the tide competition – sand soon went – saw what rocks were inside
Don’t look at the sand of your physical age – give attention to spiritual rock
Don’t ever use you age as an excuse to God – he’s likely to ask whether the Holy Spirit is feeling old yet!
What’s holding you back?
What has restricted you in 2009?
1. Too poor?
2. Wrong job?
3. Wrong place?
4. Too weak?
5. Not well enough?
6. Bad history?
7. Too old or too young?
2010 can be different – it’s your call though – you can hide behind excuses or let God display his glory in you