Have you ever had the "If Only" blues? "If only" is used when you start thinking and saying that you would like a situation to be different. It is a way of saying you are sorry or regret something. Regret is a feeling of sadness about something sad or wrong or about a mistake that you have made, or something that you have done or not done. We all make mistakes and we all do things or have done some things that we regret. Sometimes you reflect what would have happened if I had made a different choice or taken a different path. Whether in a current relationship, past relationship, a job opportunity or a missed opportunity.
We go through a mental revolving door of, "if only." If only I had studied harder. If only I had written that number down. If only I had known what to do in that situation. If only I had made that investment. If only I lived closer to my family. If only I had taken better care of myself. If only I could have been there. If only I had done this of that. If only the clock could turn back the hands of time. "If only," of course is a wishful dream. Not for the past as it was, but for the present that could have been, if only the past could have been a little different, then my present situation could be a little bit better.
"If only" was on the minds of Lazarus' family. All that and more is in Martha's "if only" to Jesus as he arrives in Bethany. When Martha came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, "Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). She probably knew that it had taken Jesus at least two days to get there. Lazarus had already been dead for a few days, but perhaps he might just had made it in time..."if only."
Jesus tells her that "her brother shall rise again." Martha agrees that it will happen "in the resurrection at the last day." But Jesus responded with His own Great Confession "I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believe in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26).
Jesus is challenging Martha and is urging her to change her "if only" for an "if Jesus." If Jesus, the One that is the way, the truth, and the life. If Jesus, the Messiah, the One who was promised by the prophets, the One who was to come into the world as the Light of the world. If Jesus, God's own Son, the One in whom the living God that created everything that exists. If Jesus, the resurrection in person, and life to come, where nothing is too hard for Him or impossible. If Jesus, our Advocate, Deliverer, King of kings, Lord of lords, God of gods, Redeemer, Savior, Supreme Creator over all. Then why should there be any "if only?"
Sometimes we get stuck in the past. There are times when all we can think about is, "if only." It's easy to linger in that place, to stay on the road of "if only" and let our anger simmer or fall in a state of despondency or depression. Wondering, "if only" doesn't change what has already happened. Even though it's a hard thing to acknowledge mistakes and wrong choices in life, but being stuck in the land of "if only" doesn't remove the hurt or pain or the grief. If you are feeling like that and if you have an "if only" in your heart or mind, run off to meet Jesus. Tell him your problem. It's okay to ask Him like Martha, "why didn't You come sooner" or why He allowed that awful thing to happen in your life?
Then be prepared for the surprise factor. There is no way to predict how God will respond to you, because Jesus always works in mysterious ways. The good news is that Jesus will respond to you. Jesus will meet your "what if" and "if only" problem with some new part of what God has for your future, that will only burst into your present, whatever that, "if only" is troubling you, with renewed hope and unlimited possibilities that will be greater than you could ever imagined. Scripture tells us, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). You can't even imagine that possibilities of what God has in store for you. "If only" you could imagine that!