Growth and Loss

Growth in the Lord means change, and change means loss.

As we grow in the Lord we must realize that growth involves some kind of change—and change means loss.

We are invited to discover an amazing new life in Jesus! However, even if the change is good, we are leaving something behind to move forward into something new. This is a very real type of loss that is hard for many people. So, we see that we are resistant to change. We see change as a threat to comfort and stability, and we often try to limit the changes in our life. However, Jesus invites us to follow him and we are called to lives of growth, and therefore, change.

We’ve had a number of funerals in our church family lately. This is when the change feels especially painful. Yet, in each of these situations, there is hope. The losses are not truly a loss because in Christ, we have eternal life and a bright future with Jesus. Through these times of feeling the pain of change we also learn to find strength in God.

God knew we’d need it. Over and over he reminded us that our strength is not enough but his strength is! I love Jeremiah 20:11 that says, “But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior” (NLT). It’s a reminder that God is with us in his mighty strength, ready to protect and help us with everything that is ahead. Besides that, he has also given us the Holy Spirit as the Comforter, to help us through times of change that may feel like loss.

So how do we do change well? We must learn to embrace change as a positive thing rather than negative. We trust that God will bring good out of every situation and nothing is wasted. As we persevere, he forms us into his image and we are stronger for it. In fact, this resilience through suffering represents Jesus to the world. It is especially in times of great change when it’s important to stay connected to God and walk with others in the body of Christ. Within the church we’ve been given an amazing community and we are learning to walk together, both through trials and suffering, as well as through times of celebration. The key is to keep walking! Don’t give up when it gets hard, but lean on Jesus and his strength.