How to Sacrifice Self

By Charles Stanley

Jeremiah 29:11-13

A house devoid of furniture echoes with emptiness. Every smudge on the carpets and walls stands out, and the rooms seem cool regardless of the outside temperature. We can feel like that empty house when we refuse to sacrifice our self-will to God. The Holy Spirit lives inside us, but we have no blessings to populate the rooms.

Believers are inundated by the Lord's benefits when they practice deliberate and voluntary submissionXin other words, when we make a willful decision to yield undivided possession, control, and use of our entire being to the Lord Jesus Christ. That means we go wherever He sends us, we do whatever He requires, and we desire whatever He desires. Even if we do not want to comply, we nevertheless commit to obey, no matter what.

Each believer will eventually come to a point at which a decision must be made regarding sacrifice of self. At that moment, we face an important choice: either we gamble on our own ability to produce a good life, or we acknowledge the Lord's right to be in charge because He has total knowledge and will invariably act in our best interest. Of course, whichever way we decide, God is truly in control, so the real choice is between obedience and rebellion.

Our daily lives are filled with situations that test our resolve to remain faithful, so every day we should renew our commitment to surrender to God. In return, He will use you to build His kingdom and give you innumerable blessings, filling your life with the peace and joy that come only from serving Him.

Used with Permission

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