Every one of us possess the desire to be unique, and to become more than we are today.
In God’s kingdom, we sacrifice those selfish desires for God’s glory. Entering the kingdom and accepting the calling that God has placed in our hearts is transformative. Like Mother Teresa, you may find yourself caring for the sick and dying. Your calling fulfills a deep and holy desire that transcends your flesh.
We attempt to control that calling by reading self-help books, wrestling through ten steps to success, or reciting mantras that promise to help us transcend the mundane of the everyday to embrace an extraordinary new reality.
But Jesus has another plan.
If there was a “God-Help” section in the bookstore, it would be filled with books with titles like:
10 Ways to Die to Yourself
Embracing Daily Sacrifice
Dying to Live: The only way up is down.
To live a life that makes a difference–a life well lived–we have to literally sacrifice our self-centered conceptions of what makes us important, loved, and relevant.
Making a difference that echoes in eternity may look foolish to everyone else in your life.
It may mean leaving a job that pays good money, selling a status symbol, adopting a child or any number of things that will make the world scratch its head and demand you have yours checked.
As Francis Chan shared an excellent sermon on contentment, we have to live a life that “demands explanation.” [To get Francis' sermon, go to Cornerstone Church, click "GET A SERMON" and scroll to the message on 05/31/09 called "What do you need in order to be happy?"]
Soon I am going to launch a series called “10 Questions” where I will interview people who live lives that demand an explanation.
Do you live a life where people say, “I don’t understand that? Can you explain it to me?” Do you know someone who does?
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posted August 31, 2010 at 10:35 am
I hear that a lot. I can be a lonely place in terms of human connection. I could go on and on about this but it would be way too long.
posted August 31, 2010 at 11:16 am
I have one of those lives but I want to get different questions in it. Right now, I get questions like “how could you end up addicted to porn?” “How could you hide that from your wife and family?” “How do you get through seven miscarriages?”
I want to reach a point where the questions aren’t me having to explain for the poor decisions of my past. I know God will get me there sometime.
I’m looking forward to reading your series.
posted August 31, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I’ve been told this in the past… choosing to work in the inner city – by choice, not obligation… becoming a foster parent to a troubled teen.
Right now I’m struggling with the why… why do I do what I do? Is it because it makes me feel good to do things for others, or is it because of my desire to please God? Do I do it out of obligation to God or because I want to live out what I believe? And what is it that I believe and do I really believe it and if I really believe it then shouldn’t my whole life show it?
I think up until now I’ve spent so much time ‘doing’ that I need to take time to just ‘be’ in God’s presence and allow Him to work in me, so that I’ll be able to be sacrificial for Him for the right reasons.
posted August 31, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I am working toward this. Some difficult circumstances and my poor responses to them over the last few years left me sidelined, feeling that I was unable, unworthy, broken. I gave money at times, but felt I didn’t have more to share. Like Jason said, my life demanded an explanation of why I wasn’t trusting God, believing in him, and acting on that belief.
Last year I hit rock bottom and that changed. I am in the process of recreating life, of living each day with faith and purpose, of refusing to let injustice continue, of putting action to my words and living a life that has an impact. I have had to relearn who God is, who I am, and how to live out faith. It has taken work and a great deal of faith, but the change over the last year has been incredible. My life now means something, and hope the request for an explanation does come…I am ready to give my answer.
posted August 31, 2010 at 3:58 pm
I especially identify with Karen’s comments: “Right now I’m struggling with the why… why do I do what I do? Is it because it makes me feel good to do things for others, or is it because of my desire to please God? Do I do it out of obligation to God or because I want to live out what I believe? And what is it that I believe and do I really believe it and if I really believe it then shouldn’t my whole life show it?”
These very same questions have haunted me for some time. And these questions have become my goal – to live out what I believe. Which is when I encounter from others what you said in your remark: “Making a difference that echoes in eternity may look foolish to everyone else in your life.”
Thanks for the thought provoking article.
posted August 31, 2010 at 7:39 pm
I hope this doesn’t come across as prideful, but my wife Melissa and I get asked this all the time, “Are you crazy? Why would you do that? I’m glad somebody can do that but there is no way I could.” What they are referring to is the fact that we have adopted 8 kids from 4 different countries. Why? Because we knew God wanted us to, and the fact is, He wants a lot more of us to do the same. It has NOT been a Cinderella story. It has been hard. There have been a lot of sacrifices, and I mean a LOT. However, when I see my little boy from China run in the yard when he would have become crippled in China without the care he received here, and when I see my boys who would have died from starvation playing and talking about playing football, and when I see all of my kids go under the baptismal waters and know they will be forever with us as a family, then it makes all those sacrifices worth it. There is so much more to tell, but I’m going to keep it short. Thanks for sharing your heart.
Duane
posted September 1, 2010 at 12:50 am
Thanks, Tom. I really needed that.
posted September 3, 2010 at 7:56 pm
I have an irrational, unreasonable
faith in an Almighty, Sovereign
GOD. I live for things which are
eternal. I am not of this world;
for I live for Another’s cause and
for HIS sake. A life of faith is
a walking contradiction to the ways
of the world!!
posted September 5, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Just wanted to say that my friends, Jeff & Amanda Salemi, and their children are leaving one week from today to move to South Africa to follow God’s call. They will be teaching children & inviting orphans into their family to raise as their own. They are truly examples of living lives that demand explanation ~ I am so thankful for lives like theirs and yours that are such great examples of what Jesus was talking about when He said that we must die to ourselves ~ Please remember them in your prayers as they follow Him no matter what the cost!
Thank you for all that you do for Him and for His children!
Allison – Grand Junction, CO