God's ways are higher than our ways. So why do we try to figure it out? We don't have to make sense of things. We just have to trust Him. We may not see His plan right away, or even at all, but that doesn't change the fact that He is in control, loves us more than we can imagine, and has amazing plans for us.
The enemy, in a continual quest to steal that which God has given us, lies to us - often the same lie - in areas already wounded. Rather than climb steadily toward healing, he wants to paralyze us with the same fears and lies over and over again. We must choose to ignore his voice and instead listen to God's gentle whispers of truth. Sometimes we have to search for the lies, as they are often hidden by our thought patterns. As hard as it may be, we need to identify the root belief, determine if it's true, and either find God's answer for the truth or His answer for the lie. Either way, we do not have to remain stuck.
Losses of any kind can include loss of relationship, at least to some extent. It can be hard to choose to reach out to people after being hurt, rejected, or misunderstood. Yet we were created for community with others, to know them and to be known by them, to bless them and to be blessed. When we are sure of who we are in Christ, we can offer ourselves to others, in all of our strengths and weaknesses, and weather any conflict that may arise. Damaged relationships are painful, there's no denying that. But they need not define who we are or keep us from building other relationships. We must learn to approach others with an open mind, not being defensive or assuming they will think badly of us if they only knew us.
Finally, for those of us who tend to think too much, go ahead and imagine that whatever you are fearing or avoiding were to happen. Take it all the way to it's logical end. And ask yourself "then what?" At the end of the "then what" answers, you are left with the same promises of God you would have if life went just as you planned it. He does not change, and His promises do not change. Ultimately, a life full of loss but full of God's presence is better than a life without loss and without God.
