i haven't done bible study in awhile

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
- Mark 8:35-37

i was reading a friend's blog entry, and i originally wanted to twitter "i can't seem to write beautifully anymore." and somehow this verse, i somehow remembered. what good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

perhaps there are things in our lives, that we live in regret with, lacking in various areas, mountains we can't climb, missions we can't accomplish. or for some of us, maybe we've fought and won certain battles, and yet.. you know intrinsically that a part of you isn't there in the celebration.

you may scoff at the first section of the verse as some sort of "new age spiritual bullshite", but i think it's rather true. if you hold on too much to something, you will undoubtedly lose it, only because everything is so transient in this world. even our lives.. we all have to die some day, you can do all you want to prolong your life, but you will ultimately lose.

only when you don't hold on to it so much, does it then free you up to do what you were meant to do as people who are alive. we were meant to live.