Abiding after loss is difficult. When we lose something we love, it can be hard to run to the One who allows His children to experience loss. We want to question why God would allow us to lose good things. However, loss is a reminder that we were never meant to cling to anything but Him.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Loss in this world is inevitable. It is the curse of sin. God uses our loss to prune us, grow us, and make us more like Christ. He knows what His children need and when we need it. He knows when to give and when to take away.
God is consistently challenging me to let go of lesser things and to trust that His plan is always better than mine. He has used two particular losses in my life to prune me the most. The first happened at the beginning of my walk with Christ, and the second happened just a few short months ago.
Letting Go of Things
In February of 2014, my parents lost their home to a devastating fire. The house was the childhood home of my father, as well as me and my three sisters. Thankfully, my parents were not home at the time, but their dog, Ewok, perished in the fire. A foot of ash covered the floor of what was left of each room, and everything in the house was a total loss.
Just months before the fire, I had started my journey of following Christ, and my parents had just started attending church again. My dad reminded me that the Sunday before the fire our pastor had said these words, “Hold everything with an open hand in this world. You never know when you might lose it.”
I felt a peace during this time that I could not explain (Philippians 4:7). I know I wouldn’t have handled it as well if it had happened a year earlier. Those months of being in God’s Word had prepared me to trust God through this loss and to remind myself of His promises.
The fire was an opportunity for myself (and my parents) to run to Jesus, to hold tight to Him, to depend on Him, to trust Him, and to abide in Him. I experienced God’s presence in my life more than I ever had before. I began to realize my absolute dependence on Him for everything. There was so much uncertainty in the days that followed, but I trusted God with all of it.
I got to witness God faithfully provide for my parents over the next year. Insurance replaced all of their belongings, provided a temporary rental property, and paid for their new house built on the same property. Their new home is a one story house built to accommodate them as they get older. As I look back on the fire, I’m amazed by God’s provision over every detail.
Letting Go of Plans
Earlier this year I experienced the loss of a position at a ministry that was very dear to me. Not only had it been a huge part of my life for the last eight years, but God had used the founder to point me to Him. I had also experienced so much growth through this ministry, and I acknowledge that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time spent serving with them.
The work I was doing was fulfilling, and I considered it a blessing to be able to serve the Lord with the talents He had given me. However, all of that changed in just a few short months. The ministry I believed I would serve in for the rest of my life was headed in a direction that God didn’t want me to go. He made it clear to me in sermons and through the study of His Word that in order to be obedient to Him, I had to leave.
The only comfort I found was knowing that God was allowing what was occurring to happen. So while I didn’t understand the reason, I knew that He had a plan for it all. Unfortunately, He was not going to share His plan with me. I just had to abide, trust, and be obedient.
I now realize that I had allowed this position to be a big part of my identity, and it had caused me to neglect other areas of my life where God had called me. Even good things should be held in an open hand. I believed I had my whole life planned out, and God reminded me that He is writing my story, not me, and that’s a good thing.
Trusting In The Lord
The verse I always come back to that gives me comfort when the world doesn’t makes sense is Proverbs 3:5-6:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
God calls His children to hold everything before Him and say, “Your will, not mine, Lord.” At any moment and without our control, we could lose something we love. Without warning, God could call us to walk away from something we don’t want to give up.
When faced with loss, is Christ enough? Is there anything you are holding too tightly? Has God called you to walk away from something, but you’re not putting your trust in Him and being obedient?
Remember all that God has done for you through Christ. Trust Him to write your story. Be obedient to where He is calling you. Hold everything with an open hand, but cling to Him.
My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:8
I would love to hear from you and how God has worked through loss in your life. Send me an email on my Contact Page to share your story with me.