I can not take credit for the title of today's blog. I often pride myself in coming up with catchy titles because as an avid reader, I have found that it's the title that brings me in. It makes me want to read the synopsis of a book or an article. My title comes from a sermon at church a few weeks ago. The sermon talked about Job. If you don't know the complete story of Job he was a just man, a god-fearing man. Job and his family were blessed in many, many, ways from the amount of livestock they owned and the possessions they had. One day the devil went to God and basically said the only reason he believes in you is because he has all these material things, but if he is tested and loses those things he will not be faithful. God allowed the adversary to test Job, but said the only thing he could not touch was his soul.
After Alexia passed I learned that loss is God's biggest attention getter. We can become accustomed to things and rely on things more than we rely on HIM. We expect our jobs to bring us peace or security. We expect people and material things to provide a sense of completeness and happiness. Too often we have seen those with much, leave this world still searching and longing for something more. Something that can not be attained with money or fame.
Losing to win again is simply being able to stand in the midst of adversity and say I will not lose! Losing to win again simply means realizing and understanding that your situation is only temporary. God now has your attention! Have you been too prideful, have you felt untouchable? Well, now that you have lost something you never thought you could lose, how do you go on? How do you persevere?
Losing to win again means you don't lose your faith. There will be naysayers who will try to blame God or second guess believers, but I know God is Good. I know Jesus saves. Being a Christian doesn't mean we are exempt from adversity, but it means that we will not stay in adversity. All these losses and fails, and tragedies and setbacks, is a test like Job had. Job stayed faithful to God and in the end he gained more than what he lost.
I do not know why bad things happen to good people. I do not know how to explain tragedies like Newton or Moore, or even the senseless violence in my own city. But, what I do know is the resilience and the faithfulness of the people in those communities. They come together in times of hurt and despair and they rely on their faith to get them through.
Losing to win again is coming back from a loss and being able to share your story of how you made it! It is through these days of uncertainty that He wants us to come closer to Him. Seek him through and through. We see evidence that when we go seeking him, he will show up and bless us.
Whatever your loss is-- a job, a marriage, a death--- you can choose to WIN AGAIN! It starts with a choice to do so! God gives us the strength when we have no strength left. All we have to do is ask.
