Loss

Vicki DiGaurdi encourages us to recognize the need to know what’s most important in our lives. 

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet, indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness, which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  (Philippians 3:7–11) 

I am sure we’ve all experienced loss in our lives and will probably experience more losses until our lives become perfect when we meet Jesus face-to-face. The past eight months I’ve had a few accidents/incidents that have caused some losses for me. I thought they were BIG losses. But, in reality, I learned they were quite small.  I want to be like Paul and consider it ALL a loss for the glory of knowing our Lord Jesus. 

Recently I was listening to Dr. Stanley and he was talking about a time when he fell flat on his face, and he knew the Lord was in it. He elaborated on the reasons; but, the bottom line was that he needed to slow down.. and falling or getting hurt or sick has a way of doing that. I think that’s a lesson we all need to learn - To honor the Sabbath and rest - take care of our bodies and our minds and our spirits. “Be still and know that I am God.“ (Psalm 46:10). Let’s slow down and honor the Lord of the Sabbath. The Lord of our lives who should occupy our hearts first and foremost. another lesson I’m learning during this season of loss is: less is more (not exactly sure who coined that phrase… ) Get rid of the weight that so easily entangles us, enabling us to run the race set before us. 

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking onto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:1) 

Sometimes it takes losing the things that we thought were so important to make us realize there’s only one thing that really matters and it isn’t things or events, but our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our inadequacy can turn out to be a blessing by driving us to greater dependence upon God. Like Paul, we are able to say, “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). “For godliness with contentment is great gain; for I brought nothing into this world, and I can take nothing out.” (1 Timothy 6:6) 

Make it a Mindful Monday! God is good…