We live in a time when many think that life is all about performance, so most people post everything they do on social media. They believe if they don’t post about it, then others will not be convinced they possess it or that it really happened. Unfortunately, many of us have fallen into that trap, and we have forgotten that we should be living for an audience of One, and that is, seeking to please God and not men. We see this problem even in church, where Christians try to perform to be seen. Some even think that if they give more offerings or contribute more to a specific department, maybe they’ll get a promotion or maybe they can manipulate things better.
What I find interesting is that we serve a God who is more concerned about our hearts than our performance. In the Bible, we read the story of when God promised Abraham a child, and because of their impatience, Sarah told her husband Abraham to impregnate her servant Hagar so she could conceive a child for her. Later, when Sarah realized her plan didn’t go as she thought it would, she kicked Hagar and her boy out of her house. Hagar was in the wilderness, and God saw what had happened to her and heard the cry of her child (Genesis 21:17). God saw the time when Hagar had to sleep with Abraham without her consent, just because Sarah said so. God also saw Hagar in the wilderness with her child, and He helped her because God sees and knows it all.
Also, Scripture shows that Jesus said to His disciples that a poor widow put more into the treasury than all others because she gave out of her poverty (Mark 12:41-44). Often, we do not realize how meaningful our private sacrifices are to God, which also speaks of the kind of God He is. When we make mistakes or turn away from God, He would rather deal with us privately than expose our faults publicly. God is very confidential, and if you are looking for someone you can trust, Jesus is the One you want to confide in. He knows how to protect your heart. Do you know that God remembers your hidden sacrifices and will reward you even when you forget about them? Also, do you know God can correct you through other people without them even knowing it? So, you might be receiving correction or instruction from God through a preacher, but he or she has no idea that they are talking to you. Public settings are one way God can instruct, correct, or confirm to us, yet it can still feel private or personal.
I believe the sacrifices between you and God are weightier than the ones that others know about. God is most likely to make a covenant with you, while no one knows about it except you. In fact, most visions from God won’t make sense to anybody else but you and Him. And God enjoys doing His best work behind the scenes. I’m sure we can all learn from what happened to Moses with the Israelites when he got frustrated at them. Moses struck the rock twice instead of once, and God was displeased. I believe God wanted Moses to talk to Him privately about the situation instead of reacting out of anger. Thus, Moses disobeyed God by doing something he was not supposed to do (Numbers 20: 9-13).
It is during these private sacrifices that our faith is being tested and stretched the most. When it is just you and God, and you have to step out in faith even when everybody else thinks you are out of your mind!
I want to remind you that no private sacrifice goes unnoticed before God. God will show Himself mighty and strong on your behalf when you live a life of sacrifice to Him, especially in difficult seasons. The time you praised Him instead of complaining, the time you remained silent instead of acting out of character, and the time you could have given up on life but you decided to keep trusting Him. He will make sure you know He sees you and that what you did was not in vain. In some cases, He may not reward you right away, but believe me when I tell you: He will surely reward you for it.
Let me share a short testimony with you. Something that happened to me recently. I’m in a season in my life right now where I cannot cook, so I eat out every day. God, my Jehovah Jireh, has been my faithful Provider. Since my stomach is sensitive to many things, it’s been difficult for me to choose where to eat. It’s been trial and error; however, one day I discovered a nice restaurant, and I was so excited. Even though it was a bit expensive, I wanted a place where I could get two meals for the day instead of one. So, I placed a big order without thinking twice since I was very hungry. As I sat to devour the delicious meal, I felt that something was not right. I was almost halfway through my meal when the feeling got even stronger. I stopped eating and felt the need to look through the takeaway menu that was in my bag. To my great surprise, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see the many idols that they worship, contrary to my faith, and food dedicated to their idols because the pictures of their idols are on it. Now, I know many might think that I’m exaggerating. Nevertheless, once I felt the severity of the uneasiness, I stopped eating because I didn’t want to resist the nudge of the Holy Spirit, no matter how tasty the food was and how hungry I was. So, I threw away the rest of the food. Now, I was back to hunting for a safe place to eat out, but I didn’t mind going back to square one because I felt peace with my decision. Two days later, while I was hunting for a safe place, I remember saying to myself: “God, I know you will show me a safe place to eat. I know you will! I know you will!” and then I let it go. So, I kept searching for a place where I could order food that I could eat daily. A week later, after my morning devotion time, I said to myself: “Let me go to this place and see what I can find that is suitable for my diet and budget.” When I got there, I found so many options, and the food was so affordable that it blew my mind. That’s when I realized God led me to a market/restaurant called “Market Street”. I could not have known about that place because I didn’t even know it existed, but is anything too hard for the Lord? (Jeremiah 32:27) Heaven and earth belong to Him.
So, why did I share this with you? I want you to see that when I threw away the food I got from the previous restaurant, it felt like it was a waste of time and money. But I threw it away anyway because I was reminded that God is the One I must worship, not my belly. So, while no one was watching, I sacrificed the opportunity to satisfy my belly. The truth is that I didn’t know God was about to bless me with a better restaurant. Therefore, I want to tell you that your sacrifice to God will never go unnoticed because God is a rewarder. “God will repay each person according to what they have done.” (Romans 2:6)
Stay faithful to God because He is totally worth your trust!
SCRIPTURES
“Through Him, then, let us continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share. For with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:15-16
“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” Psalm 50: 14-15
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