What does it mean to sacrifice? Is it merely setting aside what we want to do? Is it just giving up on our desires, time, energy, wants, etc? We give and we give and we give. Often, I find myself saying, “Ok God. I’m giving and sacrificing, and serving—where’s my return? Where’s my reward?”
And that’s where the real problem lies. We give and “sacrifice” and we are looking for something in return. We expect something back for all we’ve given up.
I think that true sacrifice is service where nothing is expected in return. We give because Christ gave. It means giving of our time and energies, and foregoing our own desires for the service of others without expecting something back. Jesus came to serve. He sacrificed and looked for nothing. When we truly sacrifice, we will gain all.
I’m reminded of something our pastor said in a sermon not too long ago: we are not saved to a spirit of selfishness. That statement always comes back to me as a powerful reminder of who I am called to be – a servant in Christ’s Kingdom.
1 comment:
Good point Rachel! I had a discussion with Tim R. about this very thing a few weeks back when I visited them at the coast. We desire to be recognized (at the very least) for our "sacrifice" when what we should be striving for is to be satisfied that we did whatever-it-was for God's glory. I know that I fight this at work a lot because often, if you don't speak up to take credit for your work, someone else might....and you don't get raises if the guy giving them can't recall ever giving you a pat on the head at some point. We're so used to fighting for recognition as a pattern of behavior that it spills into our REAL Christian service and not just our general vocation.
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