He Who Finds Himself Loses It

Main Idea

This spiritual reflection discusses the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” It explains that a person may think he is finding himself when he pursues personal freedom, satisfies his desires, and fulfills his ambitions, while in reality he may be walking on a path that leads to the loss of his soul. The reflection warns against relying solely on personal understanding and holding firmly to one’s own ideas without accepting spiritual guidance or listening to advice. The path a person chooses may appear right in his own eyes, while its end may lead to destruction.

Spiritual Message

The reflection explains that the hardest thing for a person to resist is his own thoughts and self, because people often trust their opinions and consider them correct. This attachment can develop into stubbornness and rigidity in one’s views. Therefore, a person needs humility and must accept the possibility that he may be mistaken and that another person’s opinion may be more correct. It also emphasizes the importance of spiritual guidance, submission to God’s commandments, and avoiding hasty decisions or acting on enthusiasm without first presenting one’s thoughts to God and seeking the guidance of spiritual mentors.

The reflection explains that self-denial and resisting oneself do not mean hating oneself. Rather, they mean struggling against passions and wrong desires and exercising self-control so that a person may live according to God’s will rather than personal inclinations.

It presents biblical examples that demonstrate the danger of seeking one’s identity away from God, such as the Prodigal Son, who thought he would find freedom away from his father’s house; Eve, who was attracted by the temptation of freedom and independence from God’s commandment; and Satan, who wanted to exalt himself and become like the Most High. Other examples include Cain, Joseph’s brothers, King Ahab, and Lot, showing how a person can lose himself through jealousy, greed, or the desire for authority and personal gain.

Educational Lesson

The reflection emphasizes that true dignity does not lie in taking revenge against those who offend us, responding to insults with insults, or clinging to our rights in a way dominated by anger and pride. Rather, true dignity means becoming the image and likeness of God. The Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross provides the greatest example of true dignity, revealing love, self-sacrifice, obedience, and endurance.

It also explains that true strength does not consist of controlling others or possessing authority and prominent positions, but in self-control and bearing with the weaknesses of others. A truly strong person is one who can endure offenses without being carried away by anger and revenge.

John the Baptist is presented as a wonderful example of humility. Despite the people’s admiration for him and their belief that he was a great figure, he did not attribute glory to himself. Instead, he declared that he was merely a voice crying in the wilderness and that Christ was greater than he was.

Practical Application

The reflection calls each person to examine himself continually and avoid acting on every thought that comes to mind. Instead, one should be patient, pray, present one’s thoughts to God, and seek guidance from one’s father of confession and spiritual mentors. It also calls people to resist stubbornness, pride, and the desire for control, while learning to accept advice and give up an opinion when it becomes clear that it is incorrect.

A person should also direct his anger toward his own mistakes and shortcomings rather than directing it toward others, and should learn endurance, calmness, and forgiveness. Instead of seeking one’s identity in outward appearances, possessions, positions, and false dignity, a person should find his true identity in becoming like Christ through love, self-sacrifice, obedience, and humility.

The reflection concludes by emphasizing that a person who leaves everything for God’s sake has not wasted his life. Rather, he has found the true and most beautiful path: the path of living with God.

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