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If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. (Mat 10:38-39 NLT) |
Living sacrificially is a much-repeated theme in Scripture. Jesus spoke of it often and exemplified it in every aspect of His living and dying. Sacrifice means to…
Surrender or give up; to permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something (or someone) else.
Living like this is difficult. In fact, it is impossible without the empowerment of God! Yet, may I tell you that whatever I’ve had to give up for the Lord, He has always given me something better. He has more than compensated me for any loss.
Any loss for Christ has produced great gain!
- When I lost my soulmate and was overwhelmed with loneliness, He gave me an extra sense of His presence.
- When I sacrificed time to take care of a declining mother, He furnished me with patience and understanding.
- When I lost my dear friend, Bea, He gave me a greater friendship with Him.
- With the loss of my home and garden, He counterbalanced with more time for Kingdom work.
- In relinquishing control of my ministry to Him, He has given me effectiveness and lasting fruit.
- In giving up time to read and study His Word, He has rewarded me with amazing insights to pass on to others—and much enjoyment along the way.
Whatever the cost, my Lord has more than made up for it. He’s poured out blessings beyond anything I could have hoped for—more than I ever dared to dream.
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have put aside all else, counting it worth less than nothing, in order that I can have Christ, and become one with him…. (Phil 3:8-9 TLB)
Another important thing to remember is that the sacrifice we make is miniscule compared to Christ’s. We cannot begin to grasp the magnitude of what our Savior endured. Our cost doesn’t even come close.
He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God. (Heb 12:2 TLB)
Jesus thought you were worth dying for! He viewed the value of redeeming you from hell far greater than the price He had to pay.
Any pain of living sacrificially for His sake is worth the prize, because that prize is CHRIST HIMSELF.
Experiencing more of His presence, being more useful for His kingdom, and bearing greater spiritual fruit—it’s all worth it to me! Whatever the cost, it pales in comparison to the gain. I pray you feel the same, or at least trust me enough to begin living a life of sacrifice. Not perfectly, of course—but with a heart set in that direction. And remember, God has already given you everything you need to do so (see 2 Pet 1:3).
Friends, I can’t wait till heaven to talk with you about what your cost was/is to live for the Lord, and how He overcompensated you for your trouble. Actually, we can start telling each other now! I’m sure you could find someone who would love to hear how the Lord has rewarded you in your loss and that He’s so worth it!
Relevant Resources
We Can Learn HOW to Delight in Our Suffering! (series)
(TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
(NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.