UnshakeableSample

Staying Faithful Through Loss

Do you ever have stuff in your house that just comes up missing? When I was growing up, my mom would always throw things away whenever we moved… especially my old clothes! I used to become so frustrated and say things like, “That t-shirt you threw away… that was irreplaceable. Not cool!”

In life, we all experience disappointments, setbacks, and loss—more than just with old clothes. But, how we respond to loss and disappointment will affect our future. You see, God can actually use a difficult time in your life to grow into the person He created you to be.

One of the most powerful and important characteristics we can have when facing disappointment and loss is faithfulness. Faithfulness is defined as steadfast in affection or allegiance, firm in adherence to promises… full of faith.

The Old Testament book of Ruth vividly depicts what happens when we faithfully trust God and embrace the divine relationships He brings into our lives—especially in the face of pain and loss.

In Ruth 1:16, after losing her husband, Ruth tells her mother-in-law, Naomi, “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go…” Wow! Talk about faithfulness.

Here we see Ruth discerned a seed of destiny in her relationship with Naomi and is saying, “Please don’t tell me our relationship is over!” You see, Ruth recognized something special in her relationship with Naomi. Despite Ruth’s sister-in-law leaving and her husband passing away, she courageously embraced the God-given relationship she had with Naomi—which led to her destiny of being in the same family line of Jesus!

God brings some relationships into your life for a divine purpose. For God to build your life to its full potential and endure the hardest of seasons, you need to ask yourself, like Ruth, “Who has God brought into my life?” When you identify those people, stay faithful in that relationship and you’ll be amazed at what God does!

As you engage with God’s Word:

● What is God saying to me?

● What does it mean to me?

● How can I apply what God is teaching me?

● How can I be specific in prayer today?

After you reflect on these questions, bring everything to God in prayer.