Paul was a man who suffered the loss of everything, according to his own claim. Yet any loss he counted pure gain.
The key to this transforming of earthly losses into heavenly gains is love. What do we love?
If our hearts are set on people and possessions and position, the loss of those will indeed be irreparable. To the man or woman whose heart is set on Christ no loss on earth can be irreparable.
It may shock us for the moment. We may feel hurt, outraged, desolate, helpless. That is our humanity. But the Lord can show us the "long view," the incalculable gain in spiritual and eternal terms, if we love Him above all. Everything that belongs to us belongs also to Him.
Everything that belongs to Him belongs also to us. What, then, can we finally lose?
If we lose not Christ Himself, we have finally lost nothing, for He is our treasure and He has our hearts.
1 comment:
Very true... If God gives me perfect gifts, just exactly what I need... I can rest confident in his perfect plan, no matter my circumstances :) and even perhaps learn to step outside my security blanket. Man plans, but God directs... And redirects. I am so grateful he keeps refining my heart and teaching what it truly means to have no other God's before him. Not even "lesser Gods!" Keep trusting in him, he cares so much for you! Thanks for the encouraging reminders this morning... I'll remember to keep resting in Christ alone :)
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