Gain Through Loss
An old violin brought back to life by the touch of a master—what was surrendered now sings anew.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Miles Stanford calls us to embrace the surprising paradox of growth: that true spiritual gain often begins with letting go. His devotional echoes Paul’s words in Philippians—where everything he once held dear and praiseworthy, even in religious zeal, became worthless compared to knowing Christ.
In our early walk with God, we may rush into service, mistaking zeal for maturity. But our Father’s priority is not performance—it is transformation. Before our gifts can be of lasting use, they must be laid down. If we press ahead in self-effort, confident in our own ability, we risk misusing even good things. These talents, though given by God, can easily become vehicles for the flesh if not first surrendered and purified.
The deeper work of spiritual formation involves seeing ourselves rightly—not as strong vessels for God, but as those emptied of self and entirely dependent on the indwelling Christ. The real fruit of ministry grows not from our skill, but from our surrender. What once seemed like loss—sacrifice, waiting, letting go—is revealed as the necessary ground for true gain: the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are not losing your gifts when you surrender them—you are entrusting them into My hands, that they may serve their true purpose. I do not despise what I have placed within you. But I know the danger of your soul clinging to these things apart from Me.
Lay them down, and I will breathe life into what was once burdened by self-effort. I cleanse what you give Me. Your intellect, your creativity, your voice, your influence—none of these were ever meant to operate independently of Me. In your flesh, even your finest work can veil My glory. But in your yielded spirit, I am seen.
Paul counted all his accomplishments as loss, not because they were evil, but because they could not compare to the surpassing worth of knowing Me. His confidence shifted—not from bad things to good things, but from flesh to Spirit, from striving to abiding.
This is your gain through loss: as you lose your confidence in the flesh, you gain your identity in Me. As you surrender your gifts, they are returned to you with My mark upon them. No longer a source of self-worth, they become tools of My grace—handled in humility, operated by My Spirit, and anchored in love.
You are not called to labor under pressure. You are called to abide. I will work in you that which is pleasing in My sight.
(Philippians 3:7–8, Galatians 2:20, John 15:5, Hebrews 13:21)
Real-Life Analogy
It's like giving your favorite old instrument to a master craftsman. You loved it—it carried memories, melodies, a sense of pride. But over time, it fell out of tune, marred by use and weathered by the elements. You can’t restore it yourself.
So you surrender it, uncertain. When you receive it back, it’s the same instrument—but it sings with clarity now. Not because you made it better, but because it passed through skilled hands. The difference is surrender. Now it is played in harmony, and it no longer leads you—it serves the music.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that what I once thought was mine—my strengths, talents, even my passion for You—has been laid down and received back as Yours. I no longer need to prove my worth or justify my usefulness. You have already accepted me in Christ. The gifts You’ve entrusted to me now operate not by my energy, but by Your Spirit in me. I rest in the joy of knowing that everything surrendered to You returns sanctified, empowered, and aligned with Your will. Thank You for this gain through loss.