Paradise Lost

153/365

I have watched many people in my life go through seasons of loss. Lost jobs. Lost loved ones. Lost joy. No matter who the person is to me, or what particular event they are going through at the time, one thing remains constant during all of these times: The growth of my own appreciation.

It is almost an inherent fact that witnessing others going through hard times makes us appreciate how good we really have it. Yes, we have some troubles of our own, but nothing like what they are experiencing. Our thankfulness for our own blessings seems to overflow in times of outside hardship.

But, this all being said, what happens when there is no one to compare to? What happens when the season of loss is your own? What happens when, no matter where you look, no one feels the emptiness that you do? It can be a scary feeling when you can’t appreciate the blessings you have because they are buried in the shadow of something lost.

Genesis 31:39
…”I bore the loss myself.” – NIV

Why are our hearts, suddenly, so blinded in the face of loss? What makes defeat so big that it casts darkness on all that remains? Is it that our lives really are worse in light of these new circumstances, or, is it that our focus needs adjusting?

Like it or not, we all must recognize that there is a relentless, malicious intelligence behind the losses we suffer. These spirits know our weaknesses; they know the buttons to push. These forces remove one block in our lives and watch the rest crumble as a result. It is a fact: Some of Satan’s workers know each of us by name. They know exactly what will make us break.

The only piece of our lives that can never be lost is our salvation through Christ Jesus. We can place all of our joy in Him, and always find ourselves complete. Where we all put ourselves at risk is when we place our happiness in any other piece.