Moving from "If Only"...

If you are going down this road of infertility and haven't signed up for the Sarah's Laughter newsletter, I highly recommend it.

Last Friday was the other Old Testament world rocking :) It spoke about the "If Only" mentality that it is so hard to break away from when you are waiting for a baby.

• If only I'd gone to the doctor earlier...
• If only I had taken better care of my body...
• If only I'd served God more faithfully....
• If only....

Then the newsletter told this story...

Journey back in time with me and let’s slip through the door of an Egyptian throne room. One very powerful man stands with tear-swollen eyes looking at 11 terrified men who are witnessing the most mind-blowing theatrics they could have ever imagined! Joseph reveals his identity to the brothers who threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery when he was just a skinny, gangly 17 year old boy. Now he’s second in command of Egypt!
What would be their fate?
Joseph’s brothers stand before him trembling because they know he has the authority to do with them as he wishes. Now is the chance for him to destroy them for all the heartache they caused in his life. What was his response to them?

“Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5)

And just so you don’t think that Joseph’s extension of mercy was just a momentary, emotional response, flip over to Genesis 50:20. He’s speaking to his brothers at the death of their father. They are afraid that Joseph will take revenge on them now that their father is not around to witness it. Joseph once again looks at them and says “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

What? Why such gracious responses? Come on! Admit it! You wanted to hear him say something like “If only you had gotten me out of the pit, I’d save you now! But you really blew it this time, buddy! Let’s see how you like prison food!” How was Joseph able to grant such mercy and grace?

It’s really quite simple. Joseph changed the “if only…”s in his life to “had it not been…”s.

• Had it not been for his brothers throwing him in a pit and selling him into slavery, he would never have gotten to Egypt.
• Had it not been for Joseph being in Egypt, he would never have been placed in Potiphar’s home.
• Had it not been for the time he spent in Potiphar’s home, he would never have been wrongly accused of a sexual crime and thrown in prison.
• Had it not been for his imprisonment, Joseph would have never met Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, whose dreams he was meant to interpret.
• Had it not been for interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, Joseph would never have been able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.
• Had it not been for interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph would never have risen to second in command over Egypt.
• Had it not been for Joseph rising to power, he would have never been in a position to save the same family members who threw him into a pit years before.

When you reach the resolution of your infertility story, may you watch the parade of “if only…”s become a beautiful display of “had it not been…”s:

Don’t let Satan convince you that difficult situations mean God isn’t working and moving. He’s working through the celebrations. He’s working through your tears.

So, I've started my "Had it not been.."s

• Had it not been for infertility, my marriage would not be like it is today (stronger and more faith-based)
• Had it not been for infertility, I would have not experienced the comfort of God in great trials.
• Had it not been for infertility, I would have never understood what it felt like to be in a situation that you never feel control over and learned to empathize with people - not just infertile people, but other groups like people who are single!
  
• Had it not been for infertility, I would have never started this blog.
  
• Had it not been for infertility, we would never have sought God and His will for our lives the way we have!
• Had it not been...

Have you had a situation (even if it's not fertility related!) that you have/need to move your attitude from "If only" to "Had it not been"?

Have a wonderful Wednesday!