Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– C.S. Lewis
What is Loss is Gain
Almost everyone has experienced some sort of loss, perhaps the greatest is the life of a family member. There is a truth to this; you never get over it. Time wounds some of it but not all of it, so the scars will remain, but interestingly, scars are tougher than the previous skin that was there. The skin where a scar is at can take a greater force without tearing. In a similar manner, what we lose in life and what pains we suffer can be used for good. They can help us come alongside someone who’s hurting from the same thing we did. Our pain can help others. God never wastes suffering. What seems a great loss at the time can be great gain later.
Something even Better
When God answers prayer by saying “no” to the request, God can sometimes give us something better. If we really trusted God, we know He will always give us what is best for us. Jesus once asked, “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent” (Matt 7:9-10). Nobody raised their hand, so Jesus went on by saying, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matt 7:11). We can trust a loving, benevolent Father.
What’s Best for Us
Imagine a child coming to ask their mom or dad to play with a kitchen knife. Of course they’d tell them no, so God sees that what we’re praying for isn’t really good for us and it’s not going to help us in our walk with God, so He decides to not give us what we’re praying for. He knows the future so He does know best. What parent would give their own child something bad…so don’t doubt the Greatest Father of all.
Conclusion
C.S. Lewis was right when he said, “When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place.” That’s how God work’s. He doesn’t always give us what we want but He always gives us what we need. That’s a huge difference, so our loss may end up being great gain; our request may end up being better; and whatever it is we pray for or blessing we have or lose, God always knows what He’s doing. We can trust Him infinitely more than we can trust ourselves.
