Let's see what He has to say.
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38 NKJV)
This is also recorded in Luke 9 and Matthew 16. This is Jesus speaking to His disciples. He has just fed the 5,000, healed a blind man, predicted His own death, and had Peter proclaim Him as the Christ then had to say, "Get thee behind me" to him. It was an eventful day to say the least!
But what about losing your soul? Being created in the image of the triune God, we also have 3 parts, spirit, soul, and body. If we are believers in Jesus as the only way to heaven, the sinless Son of God, and Him crucified so that we could be forgiven and resurrected so that we could live then our spirits are secure. Our bodies will be glorified at His returning, but our souls are the part we really need help with while we're here on this earth. Our souls also have 3 parts, mind, will, and emotions.
What Jesus is saying here is that if we gain the whole world, meaning worldly things (fame, fortune, acceptance, popularity, comfort, etc.) then we've lost our minds! I've sure thought I've lost my mind during this ordeal! Now I'm not saying we've all gone crazy, although I've felt like that too, but what this says is that we've lost control of our mind, will, and emotions. Our mind, when left unchecked by the renewal with God's Word, runs rampant. Thoughts tend to run with our emotions, or feelings, which can change sometimes on a moment by moment basis. Then our will is no longer conformed to the will of the Father but to our own personal desires. Isn't this what's happening with our loved ones? I can sure see it in my son's life. In exchange for feeling accepted, he's compromised who he was created to be. He's followed feelings rather than God's ideal plan for his life. He's chosen his will over God's will. He's allowed his mind to rule over him rather than having the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).
Sadly though, it's not just our loved ones who take this path. Haven't we, as victims or survivors or those left to pick up the pieces or hold it together or however we view ourselves, also allowed the enemy in to steal, kill, and destroy? What about our minds? Where are our thoughts and emotions? I can tell you that honestly sometimes mine are just all over the place. I want my will to be the will of the Father. I seek His direction in my life on a daily basis. However, sometimes I do let my soul take over. Feelings get out of control, emotions run high, then my will takes over, and I just do what I want. Does that make me any less a sinner than someone caught in the enemy's snare of homosexuality? No, not really! Sin is sin, and when I miss the mark that God has for me, it's just as wrong. WE categorize sin. God doesn't. His heart is grieved at them all. Yes, sin has degrees of consequences, but it's still all the same, not meeting God's standard, not aligning our will with His, and not allowing Him to be in control.
This should be the goal of every believer: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 NKJV)
And this our prayer:Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart. (Psalms 26:2 NKJV)
Keep praying and loving. We WILL survive this!