LossSample

OUTWARD FOCUS

The Apostle Paul was extremely familiar with loss, pain, and suffering. Really, his life from the time he met Jesus until his death was pretty intense. Yet, as you read his writings (many of the books in the New Testament) and read about his life, he is filled with joy. He never gives up hope, and he never swerves from his God-given mission to spread the message of Jesus as far around the world as he possibly can. 

Case in point: the story you’re about to read. To set the scene, Paul and his buddy, Silas, had been arrested, beaten, and thrown in prison. And what crime did they commit? They had set a helpless slave girl free from a demon that had been tormenting her…I know, bad dudes, right? Well, as you’ll see, after these guys had been severely beaten and shackled to a wall in the dark pit of a dungeon, they began praying and singing to God. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure my first reaction would be to pity myself and pout about how unfair everything is. But, Paul maintains his hope and his focus on Jesus. Then, when God supernaturally intervenes to set all the prisoners free (a massive earthquake that opens all the cell doors), Paul still thinks of other people. He stays put so that the jailer will not get in trouble (that’s why the jailer was about to kill himself in the story…that would be his punishment for letting the prisoners escape). Paul maintains his focus on others, and I believe that is one of the keys to his ability to stay joyful despite experiencing loss after loss.

For you and I, when we’re facing a time of loss, where does our focus go? If we’re honest, our natural tendency is to turn inward. We focus on our pain, our feelings, how this isn’t fair for us. And while we’ve discussed how it’s more than appropriate (and even healthy) to mourn and to feel sadness, we can’t stay stuck there. Once we’ve laid our hearts before God, it’s time to shift our focus back to others. Who do you know who is also struggling with loss right now? How might God use you to make a difference in the lives of the people around you? When we keep our eyes off of ourselves, we are able to live with the kind of unwavering hope and joy we see in the life of Paul. And I don’t know about you, but that’s absolutely the kind of life I want to live.