I don’t like to lose things.

As a kid, I remember the times when I would lose my favorite toy and the frustration that came with not being able to find it. I remember losing pets that were sick or ran away. I vividly remember losing my amazing Grandma, and the pain of saying goodbye to her.

Loss is a part of every person’s life at every stage of life. I lost my Dad a few weeks ago. It was sudden and unexpected. Jerry C. Chapman Sr. was a man whose life touched many people. He took care of his family and always had the answers for every dilemma we faced. Losing him has left an emptiness and a void in my family that is at times overwhelmingly painful.

Our community has seen its share of loss in recent months. The sudden deaths of some well-known people have left mothers and fathers and spouses and children and friends with a great emptiness inside. The loss of jobs and the uncertainty of the economy have caused many to wonder how they will make ends meet. Even the loss of marriages and friendships and relationships has hit very close to home for many who are simply trying to make it in this mixed-up world.

So what do most of us do when we lose something that truly matters to us? We grieve. We may cry a bucket of tears and scream and yell at how unfair it all is. We may spend countless hours analyzing how and why we lost whatever it was, and how things went so terribly wrong. We may barricade ourselves inside emotional cocoons to try and protect ourselves from further loss. We may even walk around in a daze, hoping we will soon wake up from what has to be a really, really bad dream.

But even in the middle of intense pain and profound loss, we must never forget that there is always hope. The Psalmist David wrote in the Old Testament, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:5-8 (NIV)

God’s word promises that we can find rest and strength for our souls in the hope that comes from him. Not the hope we find in ourselves. Not the hope we find in others. Not the hope in money or jobs or possessions or worldly stability. True hope that will carry us through the painful losses of life — true hope that heals our hurting souls — comes from God and God alone.

He is our refuge. And like the psalmist, my hope, my salvation and my honor are in him today. That, I will never lose.

Jerry Chapman is the former pastor of Capstone Community Church in Anderson. He may be reached at jerrychap@charter.net.