It really does fit with the Easter theme for this week…
I have been thinking about the link between sacrifice and happiness.
I bet you are thinking that can’t be true or at least wishing it wasn’t on some level.
I mean, sacrifice isn’t nice.
It is doesn’t sound good to us normally.
Jesus certainly wasn’t looking forward to the big sacrifice he was going to make! The Bible says things like that He was praying and sweating blood as He wrestled with God over this big deal.
But I am glad He chose to still do it. Otherwise you and I wouldn’t have much hope right now.
I am sure that if you asked Jesus, He would say that He was happy to do and that He is happy He did do it.
Sacrifice is ultimately bad when there is no real reason to do it. It makes the sting of sacrifice magnified.
Sacrifice with a reason is more able to be reconciled.
More able to be followed through with.
If you want to be happy, you need a element of sacrifice in your life.
Avoiding any form of sacrifice will not make you happy, it will eventually make you miserable.
I have learnt that sacrificing my time for someone else seems to be more rewarding than the time I could have spent on my own.
Getting something now with financial stress is not as good as sacrificing my desires now for something better later.
Sacrificing my life to serve Jesus is actually the most fulfilling thing I think I have ever done.
Listen to what Paul said…
...even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. Philippians 2:17
1 Peter 2:5 says...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Maybe sacrifice works with happiness because it goes along with being a disciple of Jesus?
Something challenging to think about…
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