I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. Jeremiah 20:10-11
As I think about movies and tv shows about underdogs who defy the odds by winning the game, defeating their enemies, or completing a more-than-challenging task, one thing becomes clear. Underdogs must often sacrifice to defy the odds stacked against them. They must practice harder than their opponents. They might face ridicule for trying to win when the odds are against them. Whatever they may face, underdogs must be willing to sacrifice. This is not just true in movies and books. It is also true for us today. Scripture makes it clear that God often calls His people to sacrifice in order to follow Him.
One thing that becomes clear about Jeremiah’s story is that he was willing to sacrifice to obey God and spread His messages. Jeremiah 20 tells us about a time that Jeremiah was beaten and kept in stocks after people heard him prophesying the messages that God had given him. Jeremiah’s call to prophesy for the Lord was certainly costly. After he was released from the stocks, Jeremiah prayed to God and honestly shared about the things he was facing as a result of his prophesying. He told God that many surrounding him were whispering, “Denounce him!” and that even his friends were “waiting for [him] to slip” (Jeremiah 20:10). The sacrifices Jeremiah made for God did not come without pain, both physical and emotional. Despite all of these things, he pressed on with his calling, remembering that God was with him and fighting for him. He knew that any sacrifice he had to make was worth the cost because God was with him.
We read in Lamentations 3, a book which Jeremiah has been credited by many scholars as authoring, about the sacrifices that he made as he proclaimed God’s messages. This chapter tells us that he was no stranger to affliction (verse 1). His flesh has worn away, his bones had been broken, and he felt stuck in darkness due to the persecution that he faced. Jeremiah’s calling required sacrifice. He faced physical and emotional pain throughout his life as he prophesied for the Lord. The incredible thing we learn about Jeremiah is that he did not give up and continued to sacrifice. Jeremiah acknowledged his pain, but he never let his pain stop him from living out his calling.
Jeremiah’s story is a poignant reminder to you and me that following God and living the lives that he has called us to live often requires sacrifice. We are not exempt from this truth. Throughout our lives, God will ask us to do things that will require sacrifice. This may be a relational sacrifice or a financial sacrifice. It may also be a sacrifice of safety and security at times. As we make these sacrifices, we have a promise: we are not alone. God will sustain us and care for us. What’s more? Any sacrifice we make in this life pales in comparison to the sacrifice Christ made on the cross to rescue us from our sins.
In your own words, write down a definition for the word “sacrifice.” Then, think about what it means for you personally to sacrifice. Is there an area where you know God is leading you to sacrifice? What is that area? What can you do this week to live sacrificially to live the life God is leading you to live?
I am the one who has seen the afflictions
that come from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
He has led me into darkness,
shutting out all light.
He has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.
He has made my skin and flesh grow old.
He has broken my bones.
He has besieged and surrounded me
with anguish and distress.
He has buried me in a dark place,
like those long dead.
He has walled me in, and I cannot escape.
He has bound me in heavy chains.
And though I cry and shout,
he has shut out my prayers.
He has blocked my way with a high stone wall;
he has made my road crooked.
He has hidden like a bear or a lion,
waiting to attack me.
He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces,
leaving me helpless and devastated.
He has drawn his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.
He shot his arrows
deep into my heart.
My own people laugh at me.
All day long they sing their mocking songs.
He has filled me with bitterness
and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.
He has made me chew on gravel.
He has rolled me in the dust.
Peace has been stripped away,
and I have forgotten what prosperity is.
I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!”
