Loser

I lose things on a pretty regular basis.  I’m not sure if that’s normal, and I’m not sure if my mom is going to be mad when she reads that…but it’s undeniably true.  Sorry, mom!

So here it is: I’m a loser.

I am a loser in a lot of ways: losing things of monetary value is my forte…like how I recently lost my Chacos, but I’m pretty good at constantly forgetting things too.. “the homework is due BY WHAT TIME YOU SAY??”

But lately, I’ve been learning there are some tangible lessons to be learned in being a loser.  It not only builds character and teaches you to be more responsible, but Jesus uses it in the craziest ways to sanctify us and help us understand his character.

Sometimes, you might actually end up thanking God for making you a loser, or asking Him to help you be more of one. 

Let me tell you a story about why I’m a big loser/loser wannabe, and why I want to become more of a loser, and why Jesus rocks because He teaches us in ways tailored to us that he knows we’ll understand. 

I imagine God smiling about this one.

Going through life this fall semester and what do you know, I’m losing things left and right.  “Anybody seen my journal??” “I can’t find my Chacos!” or my personal favorite: “Guys…I need my keys! I have work in 5 minutes!!” THEY ARE ALWAYS MISSING.  

(Also, side note—as I’m currently typing this, I misplaced my gray KAO Patagonia so if anyone has seen it…that’d be cool if you could let me know…)  

Anyways!!!! I was like, Hey God!!!! I’m losing everything!!!! I’m so frustrated!!!!!! HELP ME GET IT TOGETHER. I’M SHAMBLES 24/7. Literally journaling this and I’m pressing too hard on the paper and my sharpie pen tip thing goes into the pen. What is life.

And then the Lord showed up:

“You’re a loser.”

Not what I was expecting to hear. "God, you’re so harsh. Why would you say that to me??  You’re supposed to be encouraging and stuff!"

“I want you to be a loser.  So you need to trust me, and be more of a loser.”

I didn’t understand, but then it slowly started to click.

The Lord has His own plan, His own way, and His own system of doing things in our lives.  But we won’t be able to see them or realize they are there until we lose our own plans, our own ways, and our own system of doing things.

I am so guilty of planning my own future.  "Ok God, I am taking this class early, then going to graduate at this time, then I’ll do this for one year, and then I’m going to move here.  I would like to travel here, then live there, and after that I’ll be ready for you to lead me to the next step. Love, Chloe"

Does that sound familiar? It’s so funny how I know who God is, I say I trust Him, but He has to continually break my plans and teach me the same things over and over. 

I was trying to think of an applicable verse for this situation, and Proverbs 19:21 just happened to be highlighted (thanks God). A simple and perfect truth, “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.”

What a winner. And a solid reminder that He knows what He’s doing, and doesn’t need our help.

Today, I’m praising God for making me a loser.  How cool that He can use my shambly disarray of a life to point me back to His will, and His plans.

Matthew 16:25

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it”

Lord, show us how to lose our lives, and lose our plans.  We want to be losers for you.