Lost… this little word packs a powerful punch. It can describe something that’s gone for now but is waiting to be found, something that’s gone forever, or a state of reality we find ourselves in. Lives can be lost, money can be lost, dreams can be lost, and we can feel completely lost when life shifts gears. It’s tough and it’s scary and it can cause our souls and emotions to plummet.

Our world feels lost right now. The people I love feel lost right now. My little family feels lost right now- we feel lost in our circumstances, we have lost so much by way of loved ones, health, finances, COVID restrictions, my medical restrictions, our former normal. We feel lost, we have lost, we get lost in the heaviness of it all. We’ve been dragged pretty far down and it’s taking a major toll in every area of our lives. I know you can relate in your own way.

As I sit here in tears over so much pain- not just the pain that exists within our four walls, but the pain I see in those we love deeply, the pain I see in those around us throughout our community whom we may not know personally but whom we care about nonetheless, and in the pain I see in those struggling all over the globe- I have to turn my focus toward hope. It’s the only way to navigate this terrain. Through these tears I read the encouraging and powerful words of Jesus:

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

-Luke 19:10-

We may FEEL lost but we don’t have to BE lost. Our Savior knew this world would hurt. He knew we would need a hero in the midst of each tragic story. He knew his life, death, and resurrection would be the only way we could rise above the darkness that forms an ominous cloud above us.

There is peace in this misery, friends. It may seem impossible, but it’s there. Jesus has already chosen us, now we have to choose the hope he longs to provide. It’s hard to step out in faith when the path appears laden with thorns and thickets, to attempt to stand up when our legs feel feeble and weak, to open our hearts to others when we can’t conceive how we could possibly endure any more pain, to carry our neighbor when our arms are already full of our own burdens. We can ONLY conquer these things through the cross of Christ. We simply don’t posses this level of strength on our own. When we accept his help, however, he carries our heartache for us. He bandages our gaping wounds and provides the strength we need to push onward.

Salvation occurs in a specific moment in time, yes, but the act of choosing to lean on our Lord has to happen every day. We need him, we can’t go this road alone. This world hurts, this life hurts, this journey hurts. But the pain can be met with the healing of purpose and joy in the arms of our loving Savior. We have hope, friends. Our job is to trust the Lord with what feels lost. God’s job is to take it from there.

I’ll leave you guys with this song by Matt Maher, I think these lyrics speak so loudly:

Lord, I come, I confess

Bowing here, I find my rest

Without You I fall apart

You’re the One that guides my heart.

Lord, I need you, oh, I need You

Every hour I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

(Songwriters: Christy Nockels/Daniel Carson/Jesse Reeves/Kristian Stanfill/ Matt Maher)