For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. - Luke 9:24
You lose what you keep, when you try to hold on to something or someone. I’m reminded of this since my daughter just turned 16 last Sunday. Moms especially, are painfully aware with each passing year their child grows up how hard it is to let go.
Hold things loosely
Many of us are holding on to people, relationships, situations that God wants us to release. Sometimes, God will help us release those things that we try to hold onto so tightly. The late Christian writer and Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom said it best:
“I have learned to hold all things loosely, so God will not have to pry them out of my hands.”
Corrie ten Boom
Our lives in Christ, work just the opposite… Jesus emphatically states to His disciples about what it means to follow Him in Luke 9:24,
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
And again Jesus informs His disciples and us regarding the last days in Luke 17:33,
Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
The Lord is telling us that when we try to hold onto anything of this life which are decaying and passing away, we’ll forfeit and lose them.
The Kingdom of God operates differently than our worldly kingdom ideals. A deficit or a loss of one thing in God’s economics will bring about an increase in other things.
Proverbs 11:24 (NIV) proves this point.
One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
The same holds true for our finances. Paul reminded the believers in Corinth about their promise to give to another church that was in need.
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. - 2 Corinthians 9:6
In any relationship there’s a give and take. Christ gave up EVERYTHING… for us.
It is never a loss when we choose to follow Christ. Through Him we will discover more of ourselves. We will discover more of who we are and more of who He has called us to be.
As a result, we will have everything to gain, and nothing to lose!
Be Encouraged!
Stephanie
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