Depression, anxiety, loneliness, abuse, trauma, mental and emotional instability, spiritual attack, and the list runs on. There are so many forms of loss. Let’s leave it at that as a concept—even as I proofread a section of God’s Holy Word; Philippians 3:7-11:
The Apostle Paul (I capitalise ‘Apostle’ because Paul was a true apostle) states in the preceding verses that he had every privilege this life could afford him. Yet, it’s nothing to him. He considers it all ‘dung’! That he may gain Christ.
We experience loss in life and it converts our understanding to this: there is no possession in this life that comes even close to knowing God and to having Him present in our lives through the Holy Spirit. And how does God achieve this in us? Through loss.
Through loss, all the gifts of His compassionate grace are bequeathed to us.
Through depression all is stripped away, yet the refined remains, in accordance with our surrender and seeking of Him who can and will help. At our depths we learn so very much. As we skate along the surface we miss the mysteries of grace that are ever for the picking. Our depression is a gateway to the glories on high when we are lowest. As we hold on in our anguish, pray for reconnaissance of memory, that one day you will call back to this harsh and brutal time, and thank God He got you through it! I can tell you right now, this is a prophetic word that has been true in my life and in so many lives of those I know. Trust it.
Through anxiety we no longer trust our mind to comfort, and being assailed in the body, we commend our soul to Him who alone can rescue us. We do not stop searching for a way we can be healed, and as we approach that healing, and as we experience it, we laud the One who is coming for us!
Through loneliness, we reach out and up to the only One who will never leave us nor forsake us; who knows even more acutely as we know Him all the more firmly. One moment in the gifting of His Presence will be security of His pleasure for the rest of our time. One moment, when this God makes Himself real and known to us, and we will never ever believe He doesn’t exist ever again.
Through the abuse we survived, we have a Pursuer, who does pursue justice for us, and healing for our trauma. As we hold out hope that God is reforming His church, He is preparing hearts to hear what we have to say. We will have our justice in this life or in the life to come.
Through mental and emotional instability, through the alienation of those who would malign us, we’re granted possession of a grace of compassion that they do not possess.
Through all forms of loss, the greatest comfort is the door to faith has been opened wider, all the more, in compensation. In loss, God has come close. In loss, His invitation has been too compelling to discount. In loss, we have found all that matters. And in loss, finally, when all is lost, and when we’re lost to the world, all will be found in an eternity that is waiting for every single one.
In loss is true gain.
Photo by Karim MANJRA on Unsplash
No comments:
Post a Comment