Loss

LOSS -glenn kaiser 12/07/23

Every holiday season brings celebratory family and social events that often bring people joy and community beyond the every-day. They all also bring added stress with preparations, house guests, travel and various expense.

For many, these seasons are dark times including all sorts of loss and memories of what was and is no more. A spouse, children, family, various calendar dates that no longer include the spaces, places, people and at least as we recall them, more peaceful and satisfying moments in our life.

I cannot accent enough how incredibly -important- it is to build, maintain and grow deeply in one's personal relationship to God in the risen Jesus Christ. YOU. DON'T. HAVE. TO. WALK. ALONE.

It's also clear to me that some, including some reading this -wish and want for all sorts of relationships and things that cannot nor will ever take His place, yet we turn everywhere but toward God.

I lived that tragic life for my first 18 years and came very close to not surviving the pain.

Of course I suffered loss when I came to saving faith in Jesus. He said as much to His disciples and others in dialogue with them, was quite clear about personal cross-bearing. I think one reason most don't preach/teach/write about those scriptures is they aren't sweetly inviting "points of sale" in the interest of gaining new followers. Yet following Jesus truly is the most costly and the most enriching relationship of blessing -BOTH at the same time!

Theologians have for many years made a point that one way the Lord gets our attention is in allowing us to experience and feel loss in this fallen, humanlfy-fed and bled world. Instead of our Provider we go elsewhere.

I personally lost faith long ago in the supposed "goodness" of humankind due to historic and continuing inhumanity on most any front you'd care to mention. To be sure all have a spark of God's image in us, but sin nature is equally real in all. When I finally faced my own internal rubbish to the extent loss was all I had or was looking to know in the future the Lord stepped in and brought saving faith to the addicted, self-centered wreck that I was.

That sense of loss I'd swum in through the years began to leave.

Another sad aspect of loss is that friends and even those perceived as close friends come and go.

Further, regardless the details, some losses never entirely fade from our lives. The memories, trauma, even personal regret doesn't "just go away" and fully end.

In my own life genuine daily reaction with Jesus has been THE healing factor beyond all other tools. Mentors, small groups,therapy, spiritual direction and when needed medication are all helpful but none are sustitutes for the Savior -the One friend who "sticks closer than a brother".

I lost two gracious friends to cancer in the past two weeks. This is all part of life and a matter all just learn to navigate without deep self-pity or anger at God and the world. It is a greater disaster to allow either of those to ravage us by rejecting Him due to hurt -which many have done. Such is adding loss to loss!

I encourage you dear reader, to consider what I've written here -and to study the words of Jesus in the four Gospels of the Bible. Do it slowly and with prayer.

Watch what our heavenly Father does in your life as you do so...

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn