Live to Lose

I have learned to live to lose
I have found my all in you
I cannot hold it all,
it's lost, it's true
cause I have learned to live

to lose

These words from an Aaron Shust song called "Live to Lose" ring true in so many ways. When we choose to become Christ-followers absloutely and entirely, we must face some facts. One of those facts is that we must give up. We must give up our ways of thinking and being and doing. We must adopt God's character. We must lose ourselves in Christ, and then find the self that He intends us to be, also in Him. Sound confusing? I'll try to explain: When I finally make that decision to follow Christ no matter what--when I decide that I am all in--then that is when He can truly begin to work in my life. The more of my life and my aspirations and my personal preferences that I give up, the more God can fill me and make me who He wants me to be. I must learn to live to lose.

Because I am giving up what I want and trusting that God will give me what is best, I also have to be prepared to be totally dependent on Him. I cannot put my confidence in anything of this world. I must hold on loosely to all things He has given. They are really His anyway. If God allows one or more of these very important things to be taken from my life, I must believe that He will use this overwhelming pain and sadness mightily in my life or in the lives of others--if I will let Him. As a Christ-follower, I must trust God's sovereignty even when I don't understand. I must learn to live to lose.

If I complain when God allows hardship in my life, have I truly given up my rights? As a Christ-follower, do I not pray daily to become more like Christ? Christ suffered. I must suffer to become like Him, otherwise I nullify my heartfelt prayer. I don't want to nullify Christ's power in me because I am unwilling to suffer. I want to free his power to work mightily in my life. I must learn to live to lose.

God help me not to fear suffering and to trust that you always know what is best for me. For I know that all things work together for good for those who love You and who are called according to your purpose. I must learn to live to lose.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me all of your heart."

Jeremiah 29:11