Sacrifices Part 3: What am I sacrificing for Christ?

Let me preface this post by saying most people have a full plate and I think there are times when we need to take things off our plates and learn how to say “no” to things that are sometimes good things because it is just a way of setting healthy boundaries for ourselves and our families. However, there are other times that do require sacrifices on our parts and sometimes big sacrifices when called to by God. After thinking about the many different sacrifices made for us and in light of reflecting on the biggest sacrifice of all with Jesus dying on the cross as we just celebrated Easter, it caused me to ask myself this question...

What am I sacrificing for Christ?

While the Christian life is full of joy and fun times, there are times that require sacrifice and it is equally important as we mature in our faith and walk with Christ that we find the joy in our sacrifice too and this part is obviously harder. However, joy is not based on our circumstances which are always changing but when we find joy comes from keeping our eyes focused on Christ and His goodness, it is easier (still not easy) to find joy even when life circumstances are hard. I am still learning what this means and looks like in a practical sense and will probably never figure it out on this side. However, I am learning and growing as I realize that no matter how difficult the trial, when I take my eyes off of my circumstances and shift them upwards to the Lord and change my perspective by starting to think of all the blessings in my life and the numerous ways God is good, I find it easier to be joyful. The same holds true for worship. Worship is not about us or how we feel but our response to all God has done and who He is so even when we aren’t in a good mood and life isn't going to suit us, we need to be reminded that it isn't about us when we don’t feel like “worshiping" and for me, true worshiping brings joy.

If we are Christians, are we not supposed to resemble Christ? When I think of Christ, there are so many words that come to mind but I also think of how His life was full of sacrifices from what may have seemed to some as insignificant all the way to the ultimate with the sacrifice of us His life so if we are to resemble Christ we must be willing to sacrifice too. There are simply no words that can adequately express His ultimate sacrifice so whatever I have to go without to serve a greater purpose that is part of kingdom building is small potatoes!

I have to ask myself this question from time to time as a checkpoint for myself...Am I willing to step out of my “comfort zone” and sacrifice or follow Christ WHEREVER He leads? I’ve come to realize that sometimes Christ calls us to step out and do things that sometimes seem really “out there” in terms of making logical sense; however, it is in these times that the scene and stage is set for Christ to do something only He can do. I know there have been times that I have said, “God am I really hearing you right on this?” I can say that every time that I followed in obedience no matter how crazy or illogical something seemed at the time, God showed up and revealed His glory in only ways He could and I got to be part of a BIG blessing (not meaning that I was the blessing but I got to witness it or be on the receiving end of it) or witness a modern day miracle. However, when I settled for my plan or decided to stay in my comfort zone because of fear or just flat disobedience, I missed out big too! Sometimes there is great pain in the midst of the sacrifice or following in obedience and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of miracles or blessings on the horizon, but following the sacrifice I’ve found the success is so much sweeter when the sacrifice is the greatest. It reminds me of the verse, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

Of course the reason or motive for following Christ in obedience should not be to experience the blessing and/or miracle, it just seems that it is a natural by-product. What I have found is the blessing is not always so much tangible but really much greater than what we can see or touch...like experiencing the strength of God like never before (no way to describe this unless you have experienced it personally), seeing God’s hand at work and witnessing things that can only be described by God, learning or seeing something new about my Heavenly Father, and the list goes on. While everything that we are called to by God is not always out of the ordinary or what may seem like an unwise response or action, for the most part, when you look back in Scripture on the times that God called someone, it was in a pretty radical way and when those people had the courage to step out on faith without any assurance of a positive outcome and go into uncharted territories, boy did they live and experience some amazing events in their lives and they walked with Christ in ways that others were only able to see from the sidelines. While it is easy to love a happy ending, not to rain on the parade here, but I am also reminded that some of Jesus’ own disciples paid the ultimate price with their lives for following Him too. However, on this Earth, even with some of them paying the ultimate price for following Christ they would have still missed so much if they had decided to not step out and follow Him COMPLETELY. I can only imagine what it would have been like to literally walk on the water like Peter did with Jesus or when some of the disciples were able to take part in performing some of the miracles. Can you imagine being able to have those experiences? Evidently they thought the calling and life with Christ was worth the ultimate sacrifice and there is a lot to learn from those who have gone on before us.

I think too often for modern-day Christians, especially including myself, we like to think of the Christian life in a nice neat package. We attend church and/or Sunday school and Bible studies. We serve in some type of ministry and give our time up for these kind of purposes so we are making some sacrifices as long as it doesn’t really become too difficult or inconvenient for us and then we question whether we really should be sacrificing so much. Then, I have seen all to often while maybe not intentionally but people comparing themselves and their sacrifices and it is almost like we rate the sacrifice and feel good when it appears that it is a greater sacrifice than our "neighbors" and we all of a sudden feel good about our Christian life. While we all can admit that this is not what it is all about, too many times modern-day Christians fall into this habit which is just one of the many reasons that I believe our culture is falling apart in some of the ways it is. We are too busy with our "comfortable" lives and the world doesn't see enough Christians who are willing to so-call die to self for the "cause" and the truths we hold so dear so if it isn't that worth it to us as Christians, why should the world even bother or consider it? People are drawn to conviction and passion and until we really start having this as Christians as a whole, the world really isn't interested in what we have to say until they SEE what it is all about by our lives which should be filled with love, joy, and all the other fruits of the spirit along with passion and conviction.

While I know everything we are given is from Christ but what I don’t like being reminded of is practically speaking, these things include what are most precious to us, like our families, our homes, and all other material things we enjoy. While it is tempting to grab and hoard them because we cherish the gifts so much, we are called to receive them with open hands and keep our hands open knowing that God loves us more than we can imagine and where He calls, we must follow in obedience and while it may hard, this to should be done in joy. Sometimes the call and sacrifice is great causing us to keep our hands open as the things that are important to us are given up for the sacrifice; however, because He is the giver of ALL gifts when it becomes necessary to give up the gift as part of the sacrifice He ALWAYS provides and ALWAYS works it out for our good even when we can’t see it or understand it. I don't want to be misunderstood here when I say that we are to sacrifice our families because I believe that after God, we are to prioritize our family and take care of that gift. What I am saying is that sometimes God calls a family to do something that is uncomfortable and it may result at some points in pain for the entire family, but we must have faith and trust that God is in control and He sees the whole picture and will bless and reward the obedience and the sacrifice. He who began a good work will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. Some people can live a long life but never really lived and some people's stay on this Earth may be very short-lived but they lived it to the fullest and made each day count. My hope is that I will live life to the fullest making each day count and never settle for the comfortable over what I’m learning should be the joy in the sacrifice and the privilege to walk with God in new and fresh ways even when it means having the courage to step out on faith.