Necessary Losses

Dee Davis
Oct 6
2 min read

Divine Inspirations | by Dee Davis

Anchor Scripture:

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven… A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.”

— Ecclesiastes 3:1, 6 (NLT)

Devotional Thought

Life is filled with seasons of joy, growth, and yes—loss. Some losses catch us off guard, others come slowly, but all are part of our human experience. As women over 50, we have walked through enough seasons to know that holding on too tightly to the past can keep us from receiving what God has for us today.

Judith Viorst, in her book Necessary Losses, reminds us that loss is woven into the fabric of life. We lose people we love, roles we once held, and even versions of ourselves that no longer fit who we are becoming. These losses are painful, but they are not wasted. They make space for God’s new work in us.

Necessary losses teach us to:

Accept that loss is part of life. In Christ, every ending can lead to a beginning.
Redefine relationships without losing ourselves. Our identity is rooted in Christ, not in how others see us.
Embrace imperfections in ourselves and others. God’s grace is sufficient; His power is made perfect in weakness.
Grieve who we used to be. It’s okay to mourn past versions of ourselves, but then we must rise and embrace who God is shaping us to become.

Losses are not punishments—they are pruning. And just as pruning allows a tree to bear more fruit, so too do our necessary losses make us more fruitful for the Kingdom.

Supporting Scriptures

John 15:2 (NIV): “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
Philippians 3:7–8 (NIV): “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ…”
Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV): “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”

Reflection Questions

What “necessary loss” have you struggled to release to God?
In what ways have your past losses made room for growth, healing, or new opportunities?
How might God be using pruning in your life right now to prepare you for greater fruitfulness?

A Charge to Action

This week, take time to name one loss that has been hard to accept. Instead of rehearsing the pain, thank God for the lesson or growth that came from it. Then pray for the courage to release it into His hands, trusting that He is doing a new thing in you.

Prayer

Father, thank You that even in my losses, You are at work. Help me to release what I can no longer hold and to embrace the new thing You are doing in my life. Teach me to find my identity in You, to accept imperfection with grace, and to grieve with hope. May every necessary loss prepare me to bear more fruit for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Stay encouraged and be blessed.