Obedience or Sacrifice?

May 12

Why is it better to obey?

Many of us have been taught that love requires sacrifice. That in order to have a fulfilling life, relationship, or spiritual path, we must give something up—our desires, our time, our pleasure, our dreams. This idea is deeply ingrained, not only in religious teachings but also in cultural narratives that equate worthiness with effort, struggle, and loss.

But what if that’s an illusion?

On a recent walk and meditation, I received a profound insight: sacrifice isn’t real. It’s a false belief based on the idea that something must be lost in order for something else to be gained. It's the engine of the “seek and never find” cycle that A Course in Miracles (ACIM) so clearly names. We strive and chase, thinking we must “earn” love, success, or even spiritual connection—only to find ourselves exhausted and still unfulfilled.

Then I was shown something even deeper: the truth of Jesus on the cross.

Christianity has long framed the crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice—Jesus giving his life to save the world. But what if that’s not what it was at all? What if the cross wasn’t about sacrifice, but about obedience?

Jesus wasn’t a victim. He didn’t give in to death; he gave in to God. He surrendered fully—not from fear or guilt, but from deep trust that he was fulfilling his purpose, in this life and beyond. His “yes” to God was not a loss. It was a powerful act of alignment. His obedience wasn’t about giving something up—it was about stepping into the truth of who he was, and always had been.

This reframing changes everything. It invites us to stop worshipping the cross as a symbol of suffering, and begin to see it as a symbol of spiritual clarity and union. Jesus didn’t sacrifice; he obeyed—because he knew that God's will was his own. And in that knowing, he was already free.

In our lives today, the illusion of sacrifice still seduces us. We think, “If I just work harder… if I let go of this desire… if I prove my worth…” then we’ll finally receive what we long for. But this is the ego’s game—one that can never truly satisfy.

True peace doesn’t come from sacrifice. It comes from obedience—from aligning with the will of the Divine. Not a will that punishes or demands, but a will that loves. A will that already includes our joy, our purpose, our fulfillment.

To obey isn’t to lose. It’s to come home.

So how does this look in daily life? It may look like:

Saying no to a relationship that drains you—not out of punishment, but because your spirit says, “This isn’t aligned.”
Choosing rest instead of pushing through, because your inner knowing whispers, “You are worthy even in stillness.”
Trusting the unfolding of your path, even when it doesn’t make logical sense, because you feel God’s presence in the process.

Obedience is not a burden. It’s a return to truth. It reminds us that we don’t have to sacrifice to be whole—we only have to remember who we are, and whose we are.

In a world that constantly asks us to give more, prove more, and strive harder, this is a radical message. But it’s one that brings peace, not exhaustion. Fulfillment, not fear. Unity, not loss.

May we have the courage to stop sacrificing and start obeying—not out of duty, but out of love. Because in the end, love doesn’t demand anything from us—it simply invites us to align with what’s already true.

A Few Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Where in my life do I still believe that sacrifice is required for love, success, or spiritual growth?
What am I trying to “earn” through effort, struggle, or loss?

2. When I think about obeying God's will (or divine guidance), what emotions or resistance arise in me?
Do I associate it with control, submission, or loss of autonomy? Or can I feel it as love calling me home?

3. What is my earliest memory or story around the idea that love requires sacrifice?
Whose voice taught me that, and is it aligned with truth?

4. Can I remember a time when I obeyed an inner knowing, even when it didn’t make logical sense?
What happened? What did I feel?

5. How would my life change if I trusted that God’s will is my will?
What decisions or choices might feel easier, lighter, or more aligned?

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