My friends and I love the small group we attend. We meet Sunday evenings and spend treasured time discussing scripture and helping each other apply it to our lives. But when our new pastor evaluated our group and described it as “stagnant,” we responded defensively.
We reiterated how well our group was meeting our spiritual needs. He responded, “You may have to sacrifice your desires … in order to utilize your small group to evangelize the lost or un-churched.” How could he make such a request of us? Didn’t he understand how much we benefited from it?
He compassionately compelled us to set aside our own benefits in order to be mission- minded, not self-focused. He understood that he was asking us to sacrifice. He continued to urge us on the grounds of the great sacrifice Christ made for us. Shouldn’t we be willing to sacrifice to the Lord that which we consider dear?
Restructuring how you do ministry may not be a sacrifice you are being asked to make, but is there anything you are doing in service to the Lord that requires you to make personal sacrifices? If not, you may need to examine if you’re only giving to the Lord that which costs you nothing.
Father, create in us a heart that willingly sacrifices pleasures, personal desires, and traditions in order to effectively spread the gospel. Amen.
Go deeper — sacrifice time out of your day to seek out an opportunity to share the gospel with a co-worker, neighbor, or friend that may not yet know the savior. It can be as simple as starting with small talk.
Photo Credit: Elaine Casap