When I Lose, God Wins

In college, I wanted to go to this Christian music festival but, being in college, I had no money. Volunteering full time meant free entry. “If it’s free, it’s for me!” Off I went to the Inside Out Soul Festival, now simply called Soulfest. Since my friends bailed on me last minute, I ended up hanging out with other volunteers, particularly one. That was in 2001 and in 2003 that particular one ask me to marry him. Safe to say it was a life-changing event for me. Now, let’s play what if…

If I had the money to attend, my friends (who didn’t bail) and I simply would have gone to a few shows, enjoyed the time together, and who knows? Probably nothing exciting. No money + no friends = future BFF/husband. I love God’s version of life.

I keep planning and thinking things out and plans keep falling through. I had been hoping for a promotion at work for years after finishing my degree online. Nothing seemed to be happening. Frustrated, I started looking elsewhere but no one would hire me; few would consider me. Job hunts can be brutal! Finally, after working in the same place about 10 years, someone left a position and I was half placed/half asking for it. Without going into details, the position was perfect for me in many ways. I couldn’t have predicted this, nor could it have happened if I left that company. 10 years of going nowhere = great new job. God wins again.

I could probably come up with several more scenarios from my life, but instead I have a little analogy I shared with my teens…

A man has great treasure, tiny but worth so much to him. The little treasure is so happy the man loves it and is taking good care of it. One day, the little treasure finds itself on the ground. Could the man have dropped it? It’s cold and filthy and wonders where its master has gone. Suddenly, the treasure is pushed lower and covered, buried, it tons of dirt.This is awful! The little treasure doesn’t feel loved anymore, only abandoned, forgotten! Where is its master? Cold, dark, alone, and now wet. Water is leaking through the soil and all over the little treasure. Could this be any worse? The little treasure is horrified, frightened, alone, and quite frankly can’t take it anymore. It may burst at any moment! Finally, it does. Surprisingly relieved, the little treasure realizes that after it was broken open, it can now move about; it’s free. It feels its way around the cold, wet, dark. Sometimes there’s less cold; sometimes there’s less wet. More wet feels better sometimes. Finally, it stretches up through the soil and finds a beautiful light, realizing it was looking for this all along. Smiling down upon it, is the Master, who had been waiting all the while. (1 Cor 15:36-38)

We are as little seeds. We may need to be in tough places, dark, scary places; we may need to burst. Rest assured, unless we seek the Light, we will not find our way. Unless we are planted, we cannot grow. God treasures you for who you are now, and for who you are yet to become. Let Him grow you.