May 7, 2008
"The Value of Sacrifice”
Dear Friend,
Sacrifice never sounds pleasant to our ears. And it generally feels even worse than it sounds. We experience sacrifice in two primary ways:
- Forced sacrifice – Something in life changes, so we must sacrifice time, energy or money to compensate for the change.
- Voluntary sacrifice – We choose to sacrifice something because we perceive value in it.
For most of us, forced sacrifice occurs far more often than voluntary sacrifice.
Whenever I think about what I should voluntarily give up, I only feel inclined to make the sacrifice if I see the value or impact. If I give up an unhealthy food I really enjoy, I must see and feel the benefits, or I cannot sustain the sacrifice. To see and feel these benefits, I must focus on them—and not the food I gave up—and this exposes an important aspect of sacrifice.
In voluntary sacrifice, I give up more than a behavior; I also give up my mental and emotional attachment to whatever I am sacrificing. So I stop eating the unhealthy food and stop thinking about how much I like and miss eating it.
We cannot sustain acts of sacrifice without a change in our thinking. Apostle Paul directed us in Philippians 4:8 to think about things that are true, honorable, right, pure and lovely … things that lead to a good reputation and deserve praise. If these thoughts displace wrong thinking, sacrificing the unhealthy is sustainable.
Sacrifice creates space in our minds, hearts and lives for better things.
Doc
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Christ Church
