"Loss"

Some spend their whole lifetime,

Grievin’ what they lost,

And more than they’d admit it,

It’s why their hopes they tossed.

I’m talkin’ ‘bout that romance,

That came and then it went,

And ever since that happened,

They carry that soul dent.

Or maybe there was someone,

Who was snatched away in death,

And the sorrow never goes away,

As constant as their breath.

Maybe they lost their money,

Or more than that, a dream,

Since it went through their fingers,

They had no plan or scheme.

All the while they’re trying,

To just get something back,

That they had or wanted,

And can’t take up the slack,

Tween all that they are chasin’,

And all that got away,

If they thought they could buy it,

Nothing they would not pay.

But then along comes Jesus

And says I have a way,

If you hold onto your life,

You cannot make it stay.

But if you will release it,

And lose it for My sake,

You will soon discover,

From you they’ll never take,

This life and all that matters,

In fact you’ll find you gain,

‘Cause He will redirect us,

And make life’s meaning plain.

So lose it if you want it,

Just learn to let it go,

Into the hands of Jesus,

It will come back, you know.

“If you try to hang onto your life, you will lose it…” (Mt. 16;25, NLT)

It’s one of life’s greatest ironies: the harder one tries to control life, the more uncontrollable it becomes. The more one holds on tightly to what they want, the odds go up that what they’re holding slips away from them. What’s the answer, according to Jesus. It’s to stop trying to hold on and simply let go. But not in just any direction. Jesus said the answer was in losing control to Him, and allowing Him to give back what we need for both time and eternity. By losing we win, by giving up we gain, and by dying to ourselves we learn to live. There is nothing more important. In fact Jesus asked what profit comes from gaining everything but losing one’s own self or soul. It’s a great question. Answer wisely.

Lord, help us lose control to You, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Steve Boaldin, artofacowboy.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Steve, and God bless you.