God's Trade-In Plan

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Tuesday, April 04, 2006

"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." —Matthew 10:39

I am amazed when people say, "I'm trying to find myself," usually followed by the statement that they are abandoning their marriage or making a significant change in their lives. But Jesus said that if you want to find yourself, then you must lose yourself.

This means taking advantage of God's trade-in plan. It's a really good deal. You come with what you have and trade it in. You say, "Lord, here is my life. I give it to You. I dedicate it to You. I give You my plans, my future, and my resources. I want Your will more than my own."

It is not a depressing thing to dedicate our lives to God; it is a liberating thing. In exchange, He gives us His life. In exchange, He gives us His grace. In exchange, He gives us His power to be the people we want to be.

So we come to the Lord and recognize the problem is with ourselves. We recognize the answer is taking up the cross daily and following Him. The things so many people chase after endlessly in life—pleasure, happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in life—do not come so much from seeking them. Rather, they are the beautiful end products of knowing and walking with God.

In a nutshell, the Christ-centered life must take the place of the self-centered life. God and others must come before our own desires. It seems simple, but it is profound. And if we will practice it, it will change our lives. Ultimately, we will find the pleasure, the fulfillment, and the happiness we have been seeking—not from seeking these things, but from seeking Him.

Used with Permission