The Delight of Sacrifice

2 Corinthians 12:15 (Amplified Bible)
But I will most gladly spend [myself] and be utterly spent for your souls. If I love you exceedingly, am I to be loved [by you] the less?



When we truly let God become center of our lives, and His love flows through us, we then can truly let that love flow out of us towards other people. We can begin to relate to how Jesus sees others, and what their interests and desires are, and take the focus off of our own selfish desires. We have no right to be so wrapped up in our own lives that we miss out on the opportunities to help others. One of the biggest tests of our relationship with God is to see how willing we truly are to help others, to "lay down our life for our friend". (John 15:13 "No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.") We need to be about doing His will, not wasting our lives doing whatever we feel like doing. Our main goal should be to help others know about the God who loves them and died for them, and to help them along life's journey. (I Corinthians 9:22 To the weak (wanting in discernment) I have become weak (wanting in discernment) that I might win the weak and over scrupulous. I have [in short] become all things to all men, that I might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some [by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ].)
In order to help others properly, it is important to spend one on one time with God, however when all we want to do is spend time with God, we can then become of no use to others. When we are only worried about our time with God we are forgetting what our mission is supposed to be. God cannot use those who just wrap themselves up around their own lives. He needs us to be ready to do whatever it takes, to become whoever we need to become in order to do His work in the world. "Paul said that he knew how to be a "doormat" without resenting it, because the motivation of his life was devotion to Jesus." We need to fall so in love with Jesus that every aspect of our lives points others to Him.

(My Utmost for His Highest-Oswald Chambers)