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I lose everything.

I’ve lost hearing aids, eyeglasses, umbrellas, shoes, coats, and even my favorite kitchen knife. When I travel, I take a large bag and drop my valuables into it to avoid losing them.

Losing stuff isn’t so bad because I can usually replace it. But it got a bit more serious when I started losing parts of my body. At age thirty-six, I had colon cancer, and the doctor removed part of my colon. No big deal, you might think. No one can tell I’m missing part of my alimentary canal, but I know. Trust me.

In 1999, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, so I lost one breast. The doctor removed the other one the following year just to be safe. Adjusting to a flat chest was challenging. Even with corrective surgery, it isn’t me. I grieved that loss, but life moved on.

In 2018, I had a brain bleed into the part of my brain that controls balance and mobility. With surgery, I lost part of my brain. With therapy and time, I learned to walk and use my computer again, but I was left with poor balance.

I will keep losing things, but one thing I will never lose is Jesus’ presence. He even promised our troubles shape and prepare us for a glory that far outweighs anything we endure on earth. Satan can use our problems to make us feel sorry for ourselves and blame God. But if God gives only good gifts, our task is to ask Him how we can use our troubles for His glory.

We must grieve our losses, no matter what kind, but these troubles are momentary. They do not last into eternity. We choose whether to become bitter or draw closer to Christ.

When you suffer loss, draw close to the One who heals all our diseases and lifts our troubles.

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)