Costless Generosity

I challenge you to walk through the self-help or business section of your favorite local bookstore and find more than a volume or two on the subject of sacrifice. Books on topics like weight loss, money making and success are a dime a dozen. Why? Very few people are interested in being challenged about sacrifice.

I mentioned Sunday that our culture has mastered the art of costless generosity. We are generous to a fault with things we consider to be "extra" in our lives and donate those items to charity. That is a great thing that demonstrates good stewardship of the resources God has provided for us but it is not to be confused with sacrifice. How are you sacrificing your time, your resources and your life for the cause of Christ? What are the biggest obstacles to sacrifice in our lives?

Mission: Impossible

Life has a tendency to serve up seemingly impossible and insurmountable challenges when we least expect it. Perhaps it's that frightening diagnosis from your doctor, the unexpected call from your boss about company downsizing, or the betrayal of a spouse or a child with whom you are constantly battling. These challenges may not always be life-threatening but they are always life-altering.

How do we deal with these seemingly impossible challenges? We learned Sunday that it begins with admitting that we are in over our head followed by belief that God has a solution to our challenge. We can then catalog our resources before delivering what we have to God. Which of those four steps - admitting, believing, cataloging and delivering - is the most difficult for you and why?