When discussing vacation for the year, we looked at the many dates on the calendar to see if we could always take two weeks off. A new job at a new church that my husband pastors makes it impossible for me to take the time off I need to take a well-earned vacation. I quickly found myself getting frustrated with his reluctance to find time to take time off to see how much he had earned over the weeks.
After about 25 years of ministry, I have made many sacrifices. We moved several times. We built a church, but it closed and we lost our home. Due to pay cuts and other items we had to buy for the church, we had to fix our credit multiple times due to unpayable debts.
“Same old story, right?” I said back to him. He asked what I meant and I replied about how much he sacrifices again for his job. At the same time, it’s another thing to have a secular job that brings home a weekly paycheck. But ministry is a whole different ball game. Like an on-call doctor, a chaplain must be available if someone suddenly dies or someone needs him in an emergency. Depending on the church, it may also be difficult to find a suitable replacement during his absence.
This may prevent him from taking as much vacation as he would like. He gets four weeks of vacation a year, but he rarely takes it. This irritates me even though it’s good for my family to take a vacation and be free from the hassles of church services. In my years of pastoral service, accepting sacrifice has been difficult. But as I grew up, I realized that sacrifice was a gift, not a curse. Here’s how I learned that sacrifice is a gift.
it makes me more like christ
Jesus made many sacrifices while on earth. He used all his strength to become like us. He had no home, wife, or family. He devoted his time to serving those within his community. Even though he gave so selflessly, there were still people who hated him.
The Pharisees hated him and tried to kill him simply because they were jealous of the attention he received. When people started following him instead of them, it sent people to the point of plotting his murder. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice when He died on the cross. But because of his willingness to sacrifice, we have access to salvation for generations.
We may not always understand the purpose of our sacrifices on this earth. We may reluctantly make sacrifices without fully understanding their purpose in life. But God is honored when we make sacrifices for Him. For example, when a pastor’s family chooses to give up their time off to be with a member of the congregation who has experienced a tragic death, God is glorified and they are rewarded spiritually, emotionally, and spiritually.
God’s purpose is still for us to enjoy rest, but we must allocate enough time throughout the year to get proper rest. However, due to the nature of our position, this is not always possible. Making sacrifices to show compassion and empathy to someone is its greatest reward.
teaches humility
I am learning humility when I sacrifice my comfort, time, and resources for the sake of others. Pride can no longer be part of the equation. But I can also make sacrifices reluctantly, rather than willingly, if I choose. God will praise you even when you don’t feel like it. God is pleased with the offering. Because we know that we are giving up what we think we deserve and trusting in God’s ultimate plan for our lives.
Because of this, it is not easy to swallow your pride and be humble enough to help others in their time of need. Missionaries understand the gift of sacrifice. They sacrifice everything, including their safety, to travel to third world countries where persecution is intense.
They often have to learn different languages, interact with people, and learn about other people’s cultures. At the end of life, they usually have little money and little to show for it. But the most important reward for them will be waiting for them in heaven. God has stored up their treasure in heaven, and there is no doubt that they will reap the benefits of their great sacrifice on earth. When we sacrifice ourselves for others, we learn humility and understand what Christ endured on the cross.
we turn to God again
In America, many things distract us. We can easily drown out God’s voice in our lives by simply turning on the TV, listening to music, watching TV, or using screens to waste time on our iPhones, iPads, and other devices. But if we choose to sacrifice those comforts and listen to God’s voice, we can choose to refocus our hearts on God. When we just stare at a screen, our minds are focused on ourselves.
And we are bombarded with thousands of messages from various media outlets about what we deserve. And when we see what other people have and how popular they are, we wish we could be like them. But we can choose to refocus on God. The best thing to do if you feel like you’re using your screen too much is to use it too quickly.
Fasting itself is a sacrifice. We sacrifice food, time, and other luxuries to draw closer to God. God is pleased with all these offerings, knowing that His children are reaching out to Him. Similarly, people in the Old Testament sacrificed animals to atone for their sins and draw closer to God. You don’t have to do that anymore. But God is honored when we sacrifice something to draw closer to Him. We no longer have to worry about whether our sacrifice is sufficient or perfect for God.
Christ’s death was the ultimate sacrifice to atone for all our sins. Then we can sacrifice ourselves on God’s behalf for deeper intimacy. This is a gift because no one else in the Old Testament understood this. But because Christ died, His grace and mercy covers us and we can achieve an intimacy like never before.
we learn to live with less
It’s easy to believe that you don’t have anything. When you compare yourself to someone who has more than you, it’s easy to believe that you’re living a minimalist life. But when we look back at all the blessings we have received, we see that we have lived a better life than most people. When we sacrifice our time, resources, and comfort for God, we learn to live with less. We understand what we truly need and what blessings are in our lives. When we choose to live with less, we find that is exactly what God experienced.
He walked the earth with nothing and relied on those who knew him and trusted to take care of his needs. He didn’t even have a home to lay his head. He accepted the hospitality of others who wished to live in his home. He ate their food and had fellowship with them. They were blessed because of it.
God’s example shows us how little we need in life. If you decide to limit your screen time and start selling your belongings, you’ll find that you’ll need about a quarter of what you have. We can also choose to sacrifice by getting rid of our possessions and giving that money to someone in need. This is how we understand sacrifice and know that God truly blesses us.
Making a sacrifice may feel like a big deal at the time, but because we can choose to sacrifice something for the Lord, we realize that we may find ourselves giving up something important. In the end, we end up gaining intimacy, which is much more important.
Photo ©Getty Images/Martin Herzog
Michelle S. Lazurek is an award-winning multi-genre author, speaker, pastor’s wife, and mother. She is a literary agent with Wordwise Media Services and host of The Spiritual Reset podcast. Her new children’s book, Hall of Faith, encourages children to understand that God can be trusted. When I’m not working, I enjoy drinking Starbucks lattes, collecting 80’s memorabilia, and spending time with my family and dog. For more information, please visit her website www.michellelazurek.com.
