When people commit their lives to Christ, there are certain decisions they must make about how they wish to live their lives. They aren't decisions you must make to be "in" the club at church or "out" of it, but they are decisions that affect one's lifestyle, and are often changes believers want to make.
I came to Christ about five years ago (for those of you who've known me to profess to be a Christian forever before that, it's a story for another post). I felt compelled to make some changes to my life. Some came easy. Some did not. I had to choose what I would do with my time, as well as where and with whom I would spend it. The way I dressed changed, the way I spoke changed. The contents of the music I played and sang changed. What I found entertaining changed. I began to find that I was looking away or hiding my eyes when seeing certain things that hadn't bothered me before. It was a new feeling I hadn't experienced. The voice of God in me was saying, "I died to forgive those who have committed this or that sin. Do you really find that entertaining?"
It wasn't that anyone in the church said I had to do those things. It was just an urging I felt in my spirit. I had to choose what kind of person I wanted to be, and what kind of relationship I wanted to have with the Savior I professed to be my own. I'm not going to be specific about what those things are. Some of them are different for each person. Most Christians tend to believe that their language and speech should be "clean" and free of obscenities and hateful words. Some disagree about how to categorize those. There are mixed views about drinking, tattoos, clothing, hairstyles, relationships and entertainment. In addition to the entertainment I enjoy, I made changes to the music I listened to because for me, music is very powerful and tends to draw me back to my past. Some of it's not very pretty and not very much an example of the kind of life I believe God wants me to live.
Unfortunately, when I made the decision to make those changes it wasn't a guarantee that I would never make poor choices again or never be tempted to do the things I decided I wouldn't do anymore. But there is one thing that is different, now. The times that I find that I want to do or say things that I shouldn't, I'm aware that what I'm thinking about doing is wrong. Sometimes I catch my old self trying to break out and ruin my testimony as a believer who professes Christ as Lord, and who made a fairly public commitment to live my life in a different way. I'm ashamed of my thoughts, because I don't want to be that person. But something occurred to me, finally. Five years ago, I would never have realized those things were wrong and I would have just done whatever I pleased or whatever came to mind without a second thought. Now I know when my thoughts or desires are wrong, and I'm grateful for that still, small voice of God that keeps me from doing things I shouldn't do.
It seems that I've been going through a rough spell recently. More often than I care to admit, I haven't guarded my words and my filter has a gigantic hole in it. My attitude has been lacking, my dedication has been weak and my selfishness has been trying to break through like a battering ram. I find I'm irritable and sulky for no good reason other than I'm not getting my way. I identify with the apostle Paul, who wrote that the good things he knew he should do he didn't do, and the bad things he didn't want to do or knew he shouldn't do were the things he ended up doing. I'm grateful for his candor in that. All Scripture is inspired by God, while retaining the personality and perspective of the human authors who wrote exactly as He intended. If the man who God chose to write roughly two-thirds of the New Testament struggled with the desire to be the way he was before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, I don't think I have any right to be "better" than he.
It isn't easy to be a committed Christian. It isn’t easy to make sacrifices, to give up things that may seem entertaining or gratifying. But, I've learned that many of those things are really very much like empty calories. They seem OK at the time, but leave you hungry for something more fulfilling. For me, that's Jesus. He's far more satisfying to me than anything this world can offer. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that truth, because it's in the long run that living this way, and the accompanying blessings, are best realized. I've experienced less emptiness, less heartache and less sadness. I've exchanged those things for a heart filled with joy, peace and fulfillment. I've asked many friends, Christians and non-Christians alike, to please let me know if they see me acting or speaking in a way that betrays my faith in Christ. It may be painful, but I welcome the warning. I don't ever want to be what I was before. It isn't easy, but it's worth it.
That's what sacrifice is all about. Nothing I can ever give up will ever match the sacrifice He made to die in my place.
