Summary: When faced with a challenge, we can start considering “What If” scenarios, which are typically worst case scenarios. But 9 times out of 10, we don’t face the worst case scenario and things just work themselves out.
When I was a kid, we would play baseball in an empty lot next to our house. Now, keep in mind, it was me, my older brother and the two neighbor boys. We had two on each team, not much of a baseball game, right? If you ever played baseball like this, you might be familiar with the term, “Ghost on Second.'' The idea was simple. If I, Josh, got a hit and found myself on 2nd base, and it was now my turn to be up at bat again, we would put a “Ghost on Second Base” as an invisible player of sorts. This is pretty convenient when you are short 7 players for a full baseball team. Having a “Ghost on Second Base” can be a really big help when short handed in a backyard baseball game.
But I want to introduce you to something I call, “Ghost Scenarios”. If “Ghost on Second” is a helpful concept when short handed in a baseball game, “Ghost Scenarios” are NOT a helpful concept when short handed in a ministry context. Let me explain. When I am looking at being short handed on a Sunday morning, I can start to play out what I call “Ghost Scenarios” or “What if Scenarios.” I don’t know about you, but most “What if Scenarios” are really “Worst Case Scenarios.”
Does the worst case typically play out? Or do things kinda just work themselves out 9 times out of 10? Typically, my darkest mental predictions don’t become reality. These darker scenarios or “Ghost Scenarios” are really just negative predictions of the future. Often, anxiety sets in as I mentally play out these possibilities to their illogical conclusions. It is quite exhausting for me. Maybe you can relate.
Let’s keep the “Ghosts on Second Base” and out of our minds when we are short handed on a particular Sunday morning. Let’s look at the bright side. Typically things just seem to work out and my worst fears do not materialize.