Spend Yourself.

I've heard it said that life is too short to do things that you don't want to do. Often times I'm tempted to fall into this habit of thinking. I mean, to be fair, life is short. The Bible itself describes us as "just a vapor" (James 4:14, NASB). But the more I think about it, the more I think that we've blown this whole live-for-the-moment mindset completely out of proportion.

This week I finished reading So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore. In one of the last chapters, I read something that the Lord has really been pressing upon my heart:

"...now it's time to spend your lives."

Ever since I read, reread, and highlighted those words, it's like God has continually reminded me each day to spend myself. And ever since, I have been wrestling with what that looks like.

I think it goes without saying that Jesus was the ultimate example of what it means to spend oneself. In everything about His ministry, the way He taught, healed, and invested in the lives of those around Him, He spent Himself. In humbling Himself to walk the earth as a man and unconditionally serve a lost and undeserving people He spent Himself. And in willingly sacrificing His own life to atone for every sin ever committed, He spent Himself in the greatest way.

I believe with all my heart that this is what we are called to. To love, to serve, and to bring God glory. I also believe that in order to accomplish any of these things, we must give of ourselves. That doesn't mean it's always easy. Or enjoyable. Sometimes it might even be that last thing in the world we'd ever want to do. But that's all part of taking up our cross daily. The Lord is really challenging me with this lately, and I absolutely love it. I don't want to live for me. I want to live for Jesus, and I want my own interests to be the very last thing on my list of priorities.

I believe that therein lies the simplest and purest form of joy this side of heaven.