Something I have really been impressed with lately has been sacrifice. Our Christian walk is not one in which we get a free gift of salvation for our sins and live happily ever after for this life on earth. The happily ever after comes later, after we have run the race, fought the good fight, and lived our life utterly for the Lord. 

I see so many Christians who have been led to believe that if they’re not living a life full of blessings and worldly abundance, they must not have strong enough faith or they must be doing something wrong spiritually. 

Don’t get me wrong – I have definitely seen abundant blessings in this life for fellow believers which is amazing. 

However, the truth is that we are not called to a life of ease and financial prosperity all the time; we are called to sacrifice. 

Every single one of the apostles gave up literally everything to follow Jesus, first when he called them and then again when the Holy Spirit came on them and sent them out to spread the gospel and establish the church. They gave even their earthly lives. However, they were blessed beyond all measure with spiritual abundance. 

I recently read a book about encountering God. The components discussed were:

• Fasting and prayer (sacrificing our stomachs in order to fill ourselves with God)
• Creating an atmosphere that is pleasing to the Lord by not filling our mind, ears, eyes, or mouths with ungodly entertainment but rather filling it with prayer, praise, Scripture, etc. which constantly invites Him into our lives and our homes (sacrificing our fleshly pleasures to make room for the pleasure of being in God’s presence)
• Time of separation: making a point to give God our time as a priority, which means sacrificing something else we might use that time for
• Passionate pursuit of Him. Not just waiting for Him to show up (He’s always there), but rather for us to reach out and grab the hem of his garment like the woman who was healed in the crowd, or like someone who is passionately in love and devotes everything (time, attention, activities, etc.) to the one she loves. This also results in sacrificing other things she might be able to do, even if it doesn’t feel like sacrifice. 

As I reflect on this, the question then becomes: am I chasing God in this way, pursuing Him with a fiery passion? Am I chasing Him only for worldly desires, or for His glory and to have more and more of Him in my life?

The abundant life we are promised in John 10:10b “I come so they might have life and have it abundantly,” is spiritual life. Spiritual abundance. God is the author of life, the giver of life… He IS life. When our lives are not filled with HIM, we are missing out on the spiritual abundance He has for us. 

This life is fallen, broken, and part of a sinful world. We must daily sacrifice our flesh and worldly needs and desires and offer them up to God in exchange for His peace, His grace, His everything. When we stop focusing on our needs and desires and start focusing on glorifying Him, seeking Him, and growing in Him, we suddenly realize that none of the other stuff matters and we start instead being so full of peace, gratitude, and overflowing love and grace.

Jesus sacrificed everything freely, willingly because He loved us SO MUCH. That is the type of passionate love I want to have for Him.