In sha Allah

During the first presidential debate, Biden introduced a new phrase to the American people. “Inshallah”

To many, the moment probably went unnoticed except by the Arabic speaking people. InshAllah or In sha Allah is an Arabic expression that means “God willing” or “if God wills.” This phrase is used by Muslims, Arab Christians, and Arabic speakers of other religions. This phrase is often used to refer to events that we hope happen. The belief is that nothing happens unless God wants it to happen. His will supersedes our will.

During the debate, the moderator asked Trump about his tax returns; President Trump said, “You’ll get to see it.” to which Biden added, “When? Inshallah?” 

Some say the phrase can also mean “it will never happen,” depending on the intent in which it is used. While some viewers may have felt offended by Biden, the truth is that we should all keep in mind that nothing happens unless it is God’s will.

We live in an unpredictable world; we can never know what, when, or if things will happen. Take a look a James 4:14-15, for example. The scripture says: 

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

As Christians, we have to live by faith, faith that what we wish to accomplish will happen “If God wills.” But should we stop making plans because our life is uncertain? I’d say no, we don’t stop making plans and wait for something to happen on its own; however, how we think about our plans, our attitudes, and mindset matters. It matters because our attitudes must reflect the truth about how we live life with respect to the connection we have with God. God wants the truth about himself to be part of our reason for living. We can’t just make plans and not reflect our life in God. We have to keep in mind that our life is short, and its duration is in God’s hands. That’s what God wants us to keep in mind in order to have the right view of life and God. 

God governs what we accomplish, so next time we make plans, we need to remember to say “if God wills.”