Winning and Losing
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but in this life you will lose. To quote Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” “you’re riding high in April, shot down in May.” Losses will come in all depths and dimensions and they may seem to come more than the wins. Take for example (the man the kids are studying on Sunday nights), Joseph. His life started with great favor and potential, his eyes were bright and his mind full of dreams. However, the promise soon turned into a downward spiral of loss. Loss of his family’s support, loss of freedom, loss of connection, loss of job, loss of joy. Early in his life, Joseph was prolific at losing.
In some way, we can all relate! Everyone loses. Everyone has pain and disappointment. It is in these setbacks that one can question:
Why can’t we always be the victors?
Why can’t our teams and our decisions always win?
What if in the emptiness of losing, God wants to fill it with something new?
Perspective
If we always won, would anyone seek the things above, would anyone have a mind set on things above? Perhaps (2 Cor 5:17-18) “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at the things that are seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Praise
If we always won, would our praise be on self or on God. In loss, our praise should ring out for the only One who is undefeated.
Praise to Him for all that He has done.
Praise to Him for the victories won.
Praise to Him that we can have the Son.
Purpose
If we always won, would we learn the things that “God meant for good”? Perhaps the loss is meant to remind/ to spark/ to motivate/ to grow/ to open doors. Perhaps the loss is for the better so that we may have the mindset of Paul in Philippians 3:8: “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ”.
There is a season for everything, for winning and yes, for losing. Everyone loves to win but I hope you all lose. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for me will find it (Matt. 16:24).”
- Seth Bowen
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