Sacrifice Established on the Gospel

Naomi Middleton

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"Sacrifice is not a threat to living life to the fullest; rather, it is the doorway to it."

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I grew up as the oldest of five kids and began babysitting at twelve. By sixth grade, I was teaching kids' classes at our church, and my first full-time job was as a preschool teacher. So, when I found out I was pregnant with our first child, I thought I was well-prepared for motherhood.

I knew it would be challenging, but I thought it would be a relatively straightforward new challenge. After all, how hard could it be to change diapers, make lunches, and schedule playdates? But the moment I went into labor, I realized motherhood was going to be much harder than I anticipated. It was going to require more energy than I had to give, and it was going to rob me of some things I had previously enjoyed. It wasn’t always going to go as I had planned.

A few weeks after Brayden was born, I found myself awake in the middle of the night, trying to get him back to sleep. Exhausted and frustrated, I thought, “Why does something so good have to be so hard?” Now that Brayden is a toddler, parenting hasn’t become any easier. In fact, some days I long for the simplicity of the newborn days, without toddler meltdowns or arguments over what shirt to wear.

We live in a world that tries to avoid sacrifice and hardship. We’ve built our lives around convenience and comfort. If something proves more difficult than we expected, we often think we must be doing it wrong. And when we’re faced with difficult personal sacrifices, it’s easy to grow bitter and frustrated, feeling like a victim.

Yet, as I’ve navigated the various sacrifices required by motherhood and life in general, I’ve slowly come to realize that life comes through sacrifice. We don’t have to face sacrifice with a "grin and bear it" mentality. Nor should we avoid sacrifice at all costs. We can have hope - and even joy - amid sacrifice because we know there’s something greater on the other side. When we face moments or seasons of sacrifice, we can hold onto the hope that life comes through sacrifice. Here are some ways we can understand sacrifice in light of the gospel.

Sacrifice Is an Act of Love (Creation)

When we look at certain topics in light of the gospel, it is fairly easy to understand, at least in a general sense, their created purpose. However, there are other topics that are much more difficult and nuanced. Sacrifice is definitely one of them. Because of the pain and brokenness that often surrounds sacrifice, it is hard to comprehend a perfect world in which sacrifice would be a part of it. Yet, at the core of sacrifice and an act of love. It is the willingness to give something up for the sake of another.

1 John 1:9 says, “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus' sacrifice is a powerful example of true love. It wasn’t just about a feeling, but a conscious choice to endure suffering and even death for the good of others. His love teaches us that real love requires sacrifice. It’s not about convenience or comfort; it’s about giving up something for the benefit of another. A love that wasn't based on merit or deserving.

Biblical sacrifice isn’t just about giving something up or doing something uncomfortable. It is a decision to put the needs of others before our own. Gospel-centered sacrifice is done for the sake of another—it is a selfless act of love that seeks nothing in return.

I remember a few months ago, after cooking an entire meal for my kids while they played, they had the audacity to tell me that I was the worst cook and that they didn’t want to eat what I had prepared. In that moment, I probably did not respond very well. However, afterward, as I reflected on the situation, I was convicted that I often respond the same way to God—complaining about what He has given rather than receiving it with gratitude.

Whether it’s cooking a meal my kids don’t like or getting up for them in the middle of the night, motherhood has given me many opportunities to practice sacrificial love. It has also given me a deeper understanding of God’s love for me through Jesus’ sacrifice—a love that gives something up for the sake of another without expecting anything in return. When we understand Christ’s sacrifice for us, it changes how we view sacrifice in our own lives. We begin to see it as an opportunity to reflect His love to others.

Sacrifice Puts our Old Self to Death (Fall)

The second reason sacrifice is the doorway to life is because it puts our old self to death. In Romans 12:1, Paul urges believers to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” We often read this as performing sacrificial acts (like serving at church or going on mission trips). However, Paul is pointing to something much deeper and more challenging: a life of sacrifice—a daily dying to ourselves for the sake of others and for the glory of God.

For me, parenthood has forced me to lay down my will and my desires in ways I never had to before. Society often portrays motherhood as “losing yourself,” and in some ways that is true. But for me, the part I have struggled most to lose is my selfishness.

As a parents, we are constantly called to die to ourselves—to give up our personal plans and priorities in order to care for our children. These kinds of sacrifices were created to be joyful and life-giving expressions of love. However, the Fall has caused each of us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. As a result, dying to ourselves often becomes a painful rather than joyful process.

Yet no matter the season we are in - whether as a mother, caregiver, or friend—the more we die to ourselves, the more we become like Jesus. Yes, the fall has made sacrifices difficult, but God wants to use these moments to shape us, leading us to greater places of life and holiness—which is true spiritual worship.

Sacrifice Proclaims the Gospel (Redemption)

And finally, sacrifice is the doorway to life because it is a powerful tool that God uses to help us proclaim the gospel.In Colossians 1:24, Paul says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church.” Paul is not suggesting that Christ’s suffering was incomplete or insufficient for salvation. Rather, he is explaining that his own sacrifices serve as a means of making the gospel known.

It was Christ’s sacrifice that gave us life. When we sacrifice for others, we tangibly reflect His love. When we sacrifice our sleep for our children, we proclaim the gospel to them. When we give our energy to our spouse, we reflect the gospel to them.

As believers who have been bought with the sacrifice of Jesus, we should not only embrace sacrifice, but our lives should be joyfully defined by it. We live in a world that tries to avoid sacrifice and hardship. We have built our lives around convenience and comfort. When something becomes more difficult than we expected, we often assume something has gone wrong. And when we are faced with personal sacrifice, it is easy to grow bitter or feel like a victim.

In the midst of our sacrifices, we hold on to the hope that life comes through these acts of love, submission, and service. While sacrifice can be difficult, it is through these moments of selflessness that we experience true life. By giving of ourselves, we are not only transformed but also have the opportunity to impact those around us. Sacrifice is not a threat to living life to the fullest; rather, it is the doorway to it.