When Life Takes Everything: Trusting God Through Loss

Have you ever lost everything you had? Was it easy to let go?

I know of many who lost everything they had, either through natural disasters, carelessness, or human actions such as arson or theft. I've seen many sifting through rubble, desperately searching for remnants of their past lives. They needed a photo, a child's toy, or something else to cling to for comfort. This is especially true if the loss included the life of a loved one.

If you have lived long enough, I'm sure you are acquainted with loss.

God tells us not to dwell on the things of the past, as He is doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:18-19). There's a good reason for this.

I have found that when I dwell on the past and recall what I have lost, I become despondent and depressed. When I remember the people involved who have wronged me, I feel bitter.

These feelings are natural and normal, but this is not the way I want to live. I have taught myself to live one day at a time. In fact, my mantra has become "one thing at a time, one step at a time." This is how I get through each day.

There was a time when I felt that life had turned its back on me, but I have since realized that it's not true. Life is challenging. Jesus didn't sugarcoat this reality when He told us that in this life we will have troubles. Thankfully, He didn't leave it at that, but encouraged us to take heart as He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Paul's life encourages me too. He had everything, but gladly sacrificed it all for the sake of following Jesus and proclaiming the Gospel. He changed from being a highly respected Pharisee to a persecuted prisoner who suffered stoning, beatings, shipwrecks, and even snakebites. He learned to be content with little or much (Philippians 4:11-13). He enjoyed blessings, but he didn't allow his circumstances to determine his attitude or rob him of his joy.

I have learned that God gave us all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17), but He doesn't want us to become attached to temporary earthly things. At least this applies to me and my life. I lost everything I owned. For a time, I lost hope, dreams, and ideals.

My husband and I thought that we had a second chance at life and building a future together, but a debilitating stroke robbed us of this opportunity too. Every day has become a battle with survival, responsibilities, and exhaustion. There is little to celebrate when looking at everything we've lost.

My husband lost everything due to misplaced trust in an unscrupulous family member. He has forgiven this person, but he struggles to let go. After losing his business, his house, and everything he worked for, he also lost his health, mobility, speech, and most recently the lives of beloved family members and friends.

Yet, despite all of this, God has remained faithful.

We haven't lived extravagantly, but neither have we gone without necessities. We have never gone to bed hungry. We've always had a roof over our heads. Despite the challenges, I'm still strong and healthy enough to hold down a full-time job and take care of my husband. God gives us what we need.

I strongly believe that if God doesn't provide, we don't need it. Sure, I'd love for God to restore everything I've lost, and I know my husband feels the same. We would dearly appreciate it if his health could be restored. We are believing that God will heal and restore him, but if He doesn't, we trust that God has a special plan and purpose for everything He allows.

Favorite verses like Joel 2:25, Romans 8:28, and Jeremiah 29:11, to name but a few, seem empty or void of meaning when compared to our daily reality. Did God really promise to restore the years that the locusts have eaten? Can He give me back 30 years of my life? Can He restore my youth? I'm sure He can, but does He want to? Were these promises meant for me, or did they apply to the Israelites only, and only in the time and circumstances they lived in at the time?

Will He work all things for my good, or is it ultimately for His purpose? I know that I'm not living the future I had hoped for. Reality is much different from dreams or ideals.

How are we to apply what we read in the Bible to our own lives?

I've learned to let go and trust God. He is the only constant and unchangeable reality in my life. Everything else is fleeting and subject to change. Life offers no guarantees. We don't even know if we will see another sunrise. God taught us that this life is not our home (Hebrews 13:14). We are merely passing through on our way to eternity.

As someone once said, "we are walking each other home." We are meant to enjoy life, live carefree, and not fret or worry while anxiously trying to accumulate as many possessions as we can. Possessions neither bring happiness nor security. Our joy and our security are found in God alone.

God takes care of my needs, and if He doesn't provide, I don't need it. I may want it, but I don't need it. This has become my philosophy in life.

I would be so grateful if my husband could be healed. I would love to have my own house again, but at the same time I wonder whether I'll be able to maintain it and take care of it. I question whether my longings are realistic or whether I'm clinging to memories. I wonder about my motive.

Do I want my own place because of the security it gives?

Am I trying to find security in things, rather than in God?

I'm not getting younger. The years are marching on. Time passes relentlessly. I feel old age creeping up on me. I know I can't do the things my younger self could do, but I'm not sure that I'm factoring in this knowledge when I think of my desires.

How do I let go without letting go? How do I give up on desiring the things I once had without giving up on life itself? I grapple with this every day.

How do you cope with loss and the emotions that accompany it?

© Rina Schultz