What’s There to Gain from Loss? (Job 1:20-21)
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,

What’s There to Gain from Loss?

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.  The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” --Job 1:20-21

In the next-to-last chapter of Dr. David Clarke’s The 6 Steps to Emotional Freedom:  Breaking Through to the Life God Wants You to Live, a few sentences stand out in regard to our personal response to loss:

“You’re stuck if you have not genuinely changed as a person, in your relationships with others, and in your relationship with God. The whole point of loss is change.  Each loss ought to move you ahead in these three areas… God wants you to experience positive change, and one of His main methods to promote change is loss.”

Whoa. When’s the last time any of us has looked at a loss in our lives as something good? As something meant for positive change? As something from which we can gain?

It’s so much easier to become bitter, to stay depressed, to go into denial or to lash out in anger at those closest to us.  

When I think back about all the loss I’ve experienced in my lifetime, I don’t know if I can see resulting positive changes every time. Death, health problems –physical and mental, family crisis, broken relationships, a church split… these are some of the losses that have impacted my life so far. Yes, some have grown me and strengthened my spiritual life.  But others are still a painful work in progress.

In the Bible, Job has got to be the No. 1 poster child for loss. He had it all: great wealth, good health and multiple children. And then one by one, God allowed it all to be taken away.

There was great suffering. Job agonized and felt alone. He cursed the day of his birth. I can imagine him thinking, “Please, God, I am so tired of hurting. I have nothing left. Why are you allowing this to happen to me? I don’t know how much longer I can be ‘strong,’ hold it together and act like everything is fine.”

But despite losing nearly everything, Job never curses God (although he is honest about his feelings). He honors His Creator and is faithful. Job sees that God’s way is the right way. He repents. And then God blesses him, giving him TWICE what he had before.

God doesn’t explain to Job why he allowed the suffering. And Job is okay with that. In fact, he goes on to live another 140 years: “He saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years” (Job 42:16-17).

We see that Job’s loss didn’t cripple him. He didn’t shrivel up his spirit and choose the bitter route for the rest of his days. No, what happened to Job only strengthened his relationship with God and matured his spiritual understanding. And that is the ultimate gain.

Like Job, we are to be faithful to God even when we endure loss in our lives.

REFLECTION

Ask God today how, through your loss, He can help you gain positive change as a person—in your relationships with others and in your relationship with Him. Ask Him to use your experience to encourage someone else who has also suffered loss.

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of January 18, 2009

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING

Alice Bacon Home recovering from surgery
Kenny Rowan [Brother-in-law of Diane Rowan] who is hospitalized with pneumonia & awaits a lung transplant
Dennis Krause Friend of Diane Rowan] suffered stroke and is in ICU in Iowa.
Phil Sanders Suffering from throat cancer, in discomfort
Lara Webster [Daughter friend of Pastor Fausel] diagnosed with a brain tumor, undergoing tests.
Debbie Wolter Recovering from fractured ankle after a fall
Ricky Hayes Hospitalized recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident
Leona Walker [Friend of the Belza’s] diagnosed with return of lung cancer that has spread to her brain.
Julie McConnell [Friend of the Fausel’s] Recovering from surgery
Brock Douglas [Brother of Tom Douglas] ill from chemotherapy for liver cancer
Austin Speaker [Grandson of Billie and Harvey Detroy] recovering from hip surgery after an accident
Phyllis Kenrieck [Aunt of Mark Whitsett] hospitalized in critical condition with health concerns
Bob Wolke [Brother of Pat Otten] suffering from severe pain
Gravatte Family [Friends of the Lindgren’s] health, family, and life concerns
Ty Hassler, Jr. [Friend of the Lindgren’s] health and life concerns
Orval Bestian [Brother of Shirley Atkins] heart problems
Matt Lowe [Friend of Karyn Ranzau] critical condition after a surgery
Kay Mitchell [Friend of Barbe Lamkin] major health concerns
Kim Hunter [Friend of Pat Kuecker] 37 yr. old suffering from multiple health concerns
Karen Jackson [Friend of Melissa Nelson] waiting for a transplant
Mary McKenzie [Friend of the Kaulitz Family] small child with a heart defect

FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM CANCER

Phil Sanders, Lu Aiella, Jim Bush, Kay Mitchell, Pam Russo, Brock Douglas, Bill Berger, Ray Witte, Joan Beck, Judy O’Neil, Kim Phillips, Karen Gardner, Roger, Sue Sexton, Jana Maher, Warren Mounts, Joe Howley, Judi Rice, Linda Dixon, Jack Quinlan, Mark Hayden, Joanne Leeming, Venessa Brady, Joey Eckler, Jim Siegfried, Karen Netherton, Brenda Rogers

FOR THOSE SUFFERING CHRONIC ILLNESS

Ben Hutto, Daniel Shorter, Bob Farley, Mary Ann Hildebrandt, Christopher, Lance Muessle, Erin Brady Worsham, Nick Zimmer, Reinhart

FOR THOSE CONFINED AT HOME OR IN A NURSING HOME

Inge Kaulitz, Lydia Eggers, Mim Hawkinson, Nancy Heiden, Erna Kelley, Myrtle Wiggins, Glenna Goepfert, Elvera Weltzin, Jerry and Marge Tauscher, Isabella Tappendorf, Virginia Alexander, Helen, John Smith

FOR THOSE SERVING IN THE MILITARY

Jason, Chris and Kim Wolter, Matt Fitzgibbon, Zachary Holland, Joshua Burkett, Roy Oberhaus, Michael Costello, Don Wheeler, Lori Alix, James Marshburn, Tony Crespo, Donnie Tyler, Matthew Kuecker, Zachary Holland, Michael Alexander, Jeffrey Davis

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.--2 Peter 1:2-4

In Christ,
Paul E. Nickel
Director of Christian Education
Our Savior Lutheran Church
 

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