Sacrifice

Yesterday, I was involved in (mostly listening) an interesting conversation that revolved around dreams, marriage, and limiting God. I have to say it was rather exhausting and went in circles a bit, but that's what happens when you put one really determined person with 2 people who really want you to know their opinion (because it's obviously right) and then the innocent by-stander who couldn't get a word in edgewise. It was a good conversation though.

One of the guys has this really huge dream because of how God placed it in his life and he wants to pursue it because through God calling him to it, he fell in love with it. He's very set against marriage because he wants to pursue his dream without being tied down and without having to make sacrifices regarding giving up what he perceives his dream to be. One of the only comments I made was "Well, sacrifice is a basis for Christianity and kind of what it's all about."

Then it got me thinking.

He was very set against not having to give ANYTHING up to satisfy his hunger for a professional career in music. But I think that goes against love and Jesus.

So I asked myself: am I guilty of the same? Am I unwilling to sacrifice of myself to meet the needs of others? And naturally the answer is 'yes' because I am quite selfish, as we all are. However, we do make sacrifices.

These first few weeks of school, for instance, I have had to make and am having to make some pretty hefty sacrifices on behalf of a commitment I made that I am determined to honor because that, I feel, is the right thing to do.

I was given a leadership role at the BCM and was given a list of commitments and basically what I was signing on for. Which is all fine and good. I had no intention of breaking any of these. Then I got my summer job, which was great because I felt I needed a job. Then I agreed that my school is close enough to home that I would commute for the last 2 weekends to work at the pool because I needed the extra money and they needed the extra people.

As it turned out, because I made this commitment over a month ago, I am having to miss the BCM Open House, "the guy's" house-warming start of the semester party, family socials, BCM cook-out, and my piano teacher's first concert of the season. It's kind of a bummer.

But now that I'm thinking back on it, and now that I've completed one day of work out of the total of 4 I had left, I'm realizing that this hurt I feel for having to miss out on all these great school-related things is a part of faith and developing my character and patience. Therefore, I am rejoicing in these sufferings. It's a hard thing to do, but I am - only by the grace and strength of God, Himself.

So if ever you find yourself at the crossroads of sacrifice, remember not to lose heart and be joyful! For the Lord, your God, is with you always and He will never forsake you. He will give you the strength and endurance you need to complete the tasks that He has prepared for you beforehand and He will get you through any burden that comes your way!

Praise Him that He is the wonderful ruler of all the heavens and earth!

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