Description

Definition
This is the ability to sacrifice one’s own interests and well-being for the benefit of others or a cause. It enables a person to endure great suffering or deprivation, even to the point of death, with an attitude of satisfaction and even victory. To a Christian, self-sacrifice involves renouncing all concern for oneself to serve God more effectively, maintaining a joyful and victorious attitude that brings glory to God. It stands in contrast to an attitude of resignation, which gives in to what it thinks is inevitable.
You will commit to a worthy cause and give everything you have in support of it because you believe it is worth whatever hardship, suffering, or persecution you may face. You give yourself voluntarily and have little or no need for appreciation or recognition. You may be very enthusiastic and even zealous about your commitment. You probably are bold in your response to problems, having virtually no concern for your own safety or well-being, except as they relate to your goal. Self-sacrifice also makes you willing to experience what others would consider intolerable so you can commit yourself to your work.
You can probably relate to Paul’s commitment to his work. Comparing himself to others, he wrote, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. . . . I have been constantly on the move. . . . I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (2 Cor. 11:23-27). Instead of complaining about his hardships, Paul used them as evidence of his commitment to his work, which was spreading the gospel to the Gentiles.
Self-sacrifice has very little value by itself. It lets you use your other aptitudes more effectively and invest them more completely, without the distraction of personal concerns.

Typical Characteristics
● Your personal needs and well-being seem unimportant.
● Willing to experience what others would consider intolerable.
● Consider your mission or cause much more important than personal needs.

Tendencies
● Priorities: career and cause. You are willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of your mission.
● Issue Perception: objective. Your desires and feelings are less important than your cause.

Misunderstandings
Most people will not understand your level of commitment and zeal, and think you simply have a poor self-image that needs correction. Some may consider you a fanatic or emotionally deficient. They may claim you have a death wish or a martyr’s complex.

Vocations and Roles
Not applicable.

Perversions

Self-Centeredness
(Perverts your aptitude by focusing it on you, emphasizing the pleasure or fulfillment it gives you.)
Self-centeredness is a focus on oneself, either positively or negatively. The more self-centered you are, the more self-degrading you are likely to be. You may even deprive yourself only for the satisfaction of doing so. You may enjoy doing things the hard way, believing the intensity of your sacrifice increases the value of your effort.

Extremes
(Perverts by exaggerating, taking your characteristics and tendencies to extremes.)
In the extreme, self-sacrifice can become fanaticism. Or it may develop into a death wish or masochism if you are strongly self-focused. You might take on impossible tasks or take a stand against overwhelming odds, expecting to fail. To you, those who sacrifice themselves and even give their lives for a noble cause are worthy of the greatest honor.

Control
(Self-centeredness makes you want to be in control, and you struggle for control in a way that is unique to your character.)
Because you have very little concern for your own well-being, you are likely to react with great passion and total disregard for yourself when your cause is not succeeding. To you, the failure of your cause is equivalent to a loss of control.

Redemption

Putting on Important Traits
Certain godly character traits are especially important to you. Consciously developing the following traits will help you invest yourself more effectively in your cause.

● Humility (Considers self relatively unimportant compared to others; prevents using abilities for one’s own satisfaction.) Humility causes you to stop focusing on yourself or how you might sacrifice yourself because negative self-focus is as sinful as positive self-focus.
● Agape (Considers others’ welfare, needs, interests, and desires more important than your own; motivates you to act for others’ benefit regardless of personal impact.) Agape focuses on the benefit you can provide others.
● Patience (Self-restraint in the face of provocation, offense, or difficulty caused by other people; tolerance of the intolerable.) This may be one of your strongest traits, allowing you to tolerate the intolerable.
● Faith or faithfulness (Firm conviction regarding something for which there is no proof; action based on such conviction.) Faith is the conviction God will use your sacrificial efforts to produce the desired result. It makes you fearless when faced with hardship, persecution, suffering, or death.
● Self-control (Restraint; temperance; moderation in thought, action or feeling.): Self-control prevents you from automatically choosing the most sacrificial method.
● Perseverance (Patient endurance.) This will help you bear up courageously under difficulties.

Repentance, Renewing Your Mind
(The changes you need to make in the way you think, including your attitudes, standards, priorities, and perspective.)
God expects you to offer your abilities in service to others, not to focus on ways to deprive or harm yourself. Your priority must be to benefit others; otherwise, your personal sacrifice is meaningless. You serve God by renouncing all concern for yourself while glorifying Him.

Denying and Humbling Yourself
(Rejecting your own desires and self-interests. Refusing to be motivated by desire for recognition or credit for the results.)
Worldly thinking causes you to focus on yourself; instead, you must be indifferent to personal desires and interests–even your desire to sacrifice–and focus on others. Reject the tendency to expose yourself to hardship.

Taking up Your Cross
(Accepting that which has potential for great harm, threatens to break you down, or reveals your inadequacies.)
Being zealous for a cause and serving it sacrificially is very natural for you. It may not bother you if others don’t acknowledge your sacrifice because you don’t need their appreciation, but you might become very frustrated if they prohibit or limit your efforts. Not having a worthwhile cause for a long time may distress you or make you question your value.

Following Jesus
(How you uniquely emulate Jesus by doing what He would in your situation.)
Jesus was unconcerned about Himself and focused on completing His mission, yet had a healthy self-image and didn’t abuse Himself. He frequently spent long hours in prayer and ministry, but also rested. He did not endanger himself until it was time to die on the cross.

Becoming Like a Child
(Accepting what God gives you, believing what He tells you, trusting Him to take care of you, and simply doing what He says.)
Wait until God shows you which cause to embrace rather than choosing one on your own. Allow him to show you the kind and degree of commitment you should make, and then do only what he specifically shows you.