Matthew 16:25 (CSB)
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
Have you ever accidentally hidden something from yourself—a treasure you didn't even know you were missing? It's a very unique feeling to find something you didn't know you had lost. It's kind of like you were both treasure hunter and treasure hunted.
When I was a kid, if I had some extra money, I would stuff it away somewhere for a rainy day. After some time, I would totally forget about the extra money. Inevitably, I would be looking for something like a pocketknife or my football trading cards, and I would come across the money. I would be pleasantly surprised, as if I had found a piece of myself I didn't even realize was lost.
Here's a bit of Kingdom irony that Jesus throws at us: In Kingdom living, it's impossible to find yourself until you lose yourself in Christ. It sounds a little bit like a riddle, doesn't it?
The Upside-Down Wisdom of the Kingdom
Romans 12:2 (CSB)
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
The world will tell you to live for yourself; you're the captain of your own ship. Do your own thing and follow your heart. Don't misunderstand; I'm not saying that ambition is sinful. But the way of the world and the way of the Kingdom are two totally different roads going in opposite directions (James 4:4). The world is all about glorifying self, the Kingdom is all about glorifying King Jesus. When we truly lay down our lives, our dreams, and our ambitions at the foot of the cross, it is an act of humility, trust, and faith.
When we surrender everything to King Jesus, the unexpected benefit is that we find our true selves and our Kingdom purpose. Think about some of the sayings of the Kingdom; The first shall be last; the humble will be exalted; the servant is the greatest. The wisdom of the Kingdom flips our earthly reasoning on its head.
The Joy of Kingdom Living
Matthew 6:33 (CSB)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
We are constantly in a world that begs for us to focus all our attention on the fleeting inconveniences that zap the life right out of us, making it extremely difficult to take our eyes off the temporary. You must take the spotlight off this world and off yourself and shift your focus from the temporary to the eternal, from the worldly to the heavenly. When you do that, you may be surprised to find that you won't just find God; you'll also find the person that God created you to be, and when you find that person, you will also discover the role He has for you in His grand Kingdom narrative.
When you seek first the Kingdom of God through prayer, Bible reading, and service, you will discover the life-transforming truth that will guide your everyday decisions, relationships, and purpose. The question at hand is: Are you willing to lose to gain? Because if you are, the Bible makes it clear that God will take you on the most extraordinary adventure of your life.
And I know this without a doubt, my friend: When that moment of discovery comes, it will be more exciting than stumbling upon some forgotten treasure in a childhood hideaway. It will bring a deeper and richer understanding of what receiving eternal life really means, revealing your Kingdom purpose and deepening your knowledge of who God truly is. Because it's here that the suffering you’ve experienced and observed in the world will shift from a temporary mystery to an eternal perspective.