Lost and Found

When was the last time you lost something? It seems like we lose things daily. We lose little things like papers, keys, receipts, glasses, watches, and phones but we also lose jobs, relationships, money, health, time, pets, loved ones, and ultimately hope. It doesn’t matter big or small; it is irrelevant. When we lose something, we hurt.

Let’s take something small. Did you ever lose a $20 bill? You know (or think you know) where you put it last. You back track your steps in an attempt to find it. You search and search and even ask others to help. You feel a twinge in your gut just thinking about your loss. You ultimately enter a mission to find it.

When you lose something, it messes with your mind. Thoughts start racing through what you will have to do next to correct the situation: buy a new phone, search for a new job, schedule another doctor appointment, contact loved ones, contact the police, etc. (If you’re anything like me, I become pretty frazzled from frustration if I think I can actually find it. It’s even hard for others to talk to me at those times.) At times we even start to analyze our own actions, lifestyle, and decisions. Some may begin to blame themselves for their own busy schedule and not having time to rest to think straight. We may become upset that we had not taken previous precautions and recognized prior signs. We think of all that we could have done to avoid our loss. We focus on what could have been, had we not lost. We start to think what we could have otherwise used the money for, we find purpose in the job we disliked, we create agendas that should have been, we wished we could have had one more conversation, and long for some quite peaceful times. It doesn’t matter whether we have lost because of something we did or that of a loss due to a thief we actually beat ourselves up.

Eventually our loss slows us down yet reminds us to be thankful for other things. (Other times we realize the phone we were searching for has been next to our ear and never lost in the first place.) Yet always, when we are broken Jesus’s voice can be heard a little more clearly.

The Bible illustrates times of loss always ending as a time of rejoicing. Jesus is always the redeemer and brings life into our losses. Recently I experienced a loss and it really set me back. It was hard to even function. After realizing I needed to create a new post for my blog, I searched the concordance for “loss” and I read several passages on the topic. What I wanted was for Jesus to tell me it was going to be okay. Then I read the words in red. Jesus spoke of the one lost sheep, one lost coin, and one lost son. Through His words he confirmed we must leave the 99 other sheep, turn our world upside down (LOL) , and openly and gracefully forgive others who treated us wrong. As always, He is a miracle worker and calls us to take action but then openly rejoice to others in what we find. What we find may not specifically be the thing we lost but will give way to living your own parable. Sometimes we take for granted the things of life, but consider a loss and then look forward to something in which to rejoice. Loss is just one way in which a praise report begins. Never lose hope. He is with you and for you always!

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.” Luke 19:10 NLT