Performance or love offering?

It is easy to misconstrue the calling of God.

Jesus himself said that we need to count the cost of following him (Luke 14:25-33), implying that when a person gives their life to God He will set a course for them that is beyond themselves. When we follow Jesus we need to brace for hardship and suffering.

While I think this is true to some extent--we shall expect difficulty--our attitude need not and should not be one of a slave obeying a tough taskmaster. Rather, it can be one of a child who offers whatever he can, realizing that God will multiply that humble offering for His purpose. 

The difference in these perspectives often appears very subtle, but internally these are two completely opposite worlds. The former is one of pushing to our limit to achieve what we think God wants, the latter is giving our very best as a love offering, leaving results to God. One is full of stress and expectation, the other is full of pleasure in making the offering. One is thinking we are something special and can do great things for God; the other is remembering we are TINY and the little we can give is only symbolic of our devotion. I wonder if this is the reason for God's differing responses to Cain's and Abel's offerings (Genesis 4:4-5).

God doesn't need us to do anything to achieve his purpose for this world. But if we participate, we get to delight in what delights Him.  And if we are truly offering our lives out of love for God, the sometimes dismal results of our offering or adversity we will need to face shouldn't really bother us that much.