A LIVING SACRIFICE

by Lisa Kalscheur

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
-Romans 12:1-2

Discerning the will of God is no easy task. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if He would
just clearly tell us what He wanted? If it was that easy, we wouldn’t have to be renewed
in our minds. We could go on conforming to this world without being transformed.
Instead, what is good and acceptable and perfect takes refinement. This means dying
every moment of every day to our worldly desires. The plans we make based on our
talents and dreams can be glamorous and self-fulfilling. However, to truly discern what
God is saying we must consider what our human hearts want to deny: Our desires,
dreams, and goals are not completely in line with God’s will.

By the mercy and grace of God, in his infinite love for us, we have been pulled out of
the dark and into the light. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are saved. God’s love for
us is unfathomable to our human understanding, and He knows in every moment what
we need. Given this, the only way to discern His will is to let Him lead. We must bow
our heads in humble submission and accept the call. His Word tells us everything we
need to know. The rest of the complications and worries that crop up in our lives come
from the endless struggle of our sinful and worldly desires. So where are you right now?
What are you overlooking as you strive for something else?

​We are called to be a living sacrifice, and it is no easy feat. To walk with Jesus is the
ultimate transformation that continues for the rest of our lives. This means every day,
there is a battle of submission to God. If we let Him lead as our lives unfold, the
renewal of our minds will blossom into the discernment we crave.

​Prayer:
Dear Lord, let us practice submission this Lenten season. Jesus was Your ultimate sacrifice for
humanity, and because of your love and grace we can worship you with our trust. Help us to
sacrifice our human desires, Lord. Guide us to let go of anything that is getting in our way of
being fully immersed and invested in your plan. We know we can never be perfect, but
because of Jesus we can foster a beautiful relationship with You as we grow in faith, letting
You lead the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.