“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods” (Daniel 3:17-18, NKJV). These words come from three men facing execution for refusing to worship an idol, moments before being thrown into a furnace.
But if not is the phrase worth sitting with. Their confidence in God’s ability to deliver them doesn’t waver, and neither does their commitment if He chooses not to.
That’s a rare kind of faith, one that isn’t contingent on the outcome going a certain way. God’s ability is trusted, and so is His wisdom, even in the version of the story that ends badly.
Is there a situation in your own life where your faith is quietly conditional on a specific outcome, rather than holding firm even in the but if not?