LossSample

FIND THE GOOD

Let me be honest with you: I envy natural optimists. You know those people who seem to be able to find a silver lining to every cloud…their brains just seem to lock-in on whatever shred of positivity can be found in any situation and that’s suddenly all they can see? I wish I was one of them…but I’m not. The good news is that no matter where you would place yourself on the optimist-pessimist spectrum, we can all have hope because of the promises of God.

And listen, I’m not talking about just forcing yourself to try and smile and find something to be happy about. I’m talking about trusting that God is always true to his word, and there will be some kind of good that comes out of any situation (Romans 8:28). It won’t always be the specific good we might hope for, but there will be something that works in our favor. The trick for us in the middle of a tough situation is trying to see it when we can’t see the end of our trial yet. A lot of times we don’t see the good that God did on our behalf until we’re looking back on a loss with the perspective of time on our side.

So, as we wrap this 5-day study on loss, I want to give you two challenges to work on as you wrestle through pain and disappointment. First, I want you to keep looking for the good in the middle of your pain. Look for any glimmers of hope God has given you, any little improvement or unexpected benefits you can see even while your challenge is still going on. Honestly, you may even be able to see what good might come out of a situation, and even that can provide some much-needed hope and perspective. 

Second, I want you to take the passage from James you’re about to read and memorize it. If nothing else, one of the good things God does in our lives through virtually every trial we face is that we get stronger. Our faith is strengthened, we have more grit and resilience, and we are better people overall for having weathered the storm. When you feel tempted to despair or focus on all the unknown “why’s” of your situation, remind yourself of James 1:2-4 and the fact that God is making you stronger every moment of your struggle. Your loss is not the end...it's just a chapter in a long story that God is writing in your life.