The Delight of Sacrifice

📖 "I will very gladly spend and be spent for you." — 2 Corinthians 12:15

Oswald Chambers reminds us that true sacrifice in the Christian life is not about mere self-denial for its own sake, nor is it about personal spiritual fulfillment. It is a joyful surrender—an outpouring of Christ’s life through us for the sake of others. Paul did not serve out of obligation, nor was his devotion rooted in a cause. His entire being was given over to Christ, allowing Jesus to direct his steps and pour out His love through him.

When we live in complete abandonment to Jesus, we no longer seek recognition or protect our own comfort. We become vessels, through whom Christ moves freely, touching lives as He desires. Paul’s willingness to be “spent” was not fueled by personal ambition but by the love of Christ within him. He did not demand appreciation or recoil at being overlooked. Instead, he embraced the privilege of being used by God, seeing himself as a conduit for divine love rather than the source of it.

A river does not choose where it flows; it simply moves according to the landscape, nourishing everything in its path. Likewise, when we yield to Christ, He determines the direction of our lives. Whether we are placed in the forefront or serve in obscurity, it makes no difference—so long as Christ is magnified.

To love as Paul loved is to lose ourselves in the greater purpose of Christ living through us. It is to count no cost too great, because our life is not our own. And in this self-forgetful surrender, we discover the deepest joy of all: Christ Himself, living His life through us.

Prayer of Confidence

Father, thank You for the privilege of being spent for Your purposes. You have poured out Your love within us, and we trust You to direct that love as You will. We rest in the certainty that Christ in us is more than enough for every opportunity to serve. May our lives be fully at Your disposal, without hesitation or reservation. We rejoice in the honor of being conduits of Your grace, knowing that wherever You place us, You are glorified. Amen.

📸 Photo Credit: Unsplash
✍️ Devotional Credit: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers