Sacrifice – and what role it plays in our Spiritualist Faith

Sacrifice is a  a word that carries both weight and beauty.

At first glance, sacrifice can sound heavy, even uncomfortable. It can bring to mind loss, giving something up, or enduring hardship. But when we look more closely, spiritually, historically, and personally, we can also begin to see that sacrifice is not just only about loss. It is also about love, transformation, and connection.

So let’s begin with a simple definition.

‘Sacrifice is the act of giving up something of value for the sake of something greater. It may be time, comfort, resources, or even parts of ourselves. Our pride, our fears, our attachments, offered in service of love, growth, or a higher purpose.’

And when we understand sacrifice this way, it becomes not something to fear, but something to honour.

Throughout history, sacrifice has shaped humanity.

In ancient cultures, people made offerings to the divine Gods  — food, animals, or treasured possessions — believing that these acts would bring harmony, protection, or favour. While some of these practices may feel distant or even troubling to us today, they reveal something deeply human: the instinct to give of ourselves in recognition of something greater than ourselves.

History also shows us another kind of sacrifice — the sacrifice made for others.

Think of those who stood for justice, who risked safety for truth, who gave their lives in times of war and oppression so others might live in peace. These sacrifices were not about ritual — they were about love in action. They remind us that sacrifice, at its highest expression, is an offering of self for the wellbeing of others.

Religion too, no surprise, is rich with the theme of sacrifice.

In many traditions and faiths, sacrifice is central — from ancient offerings in temples, to the symbolic sacrifices found within the various sacred texts. In Christianity, for example, the life and death of Jesus is often understood as the ultimate sacrifice — one given out of unconditional love.

As Spiritualists we recognise it was not for forgiveness of sin, but God’s solidarity with human suffering and a challenge to the injustice and violence of his time.

But beyond doctrine, the deeper message across many faiths is this: sacrifice is not simply about giving something up — it is about transformation. It is about aligning ourselves with compassion, humility, and a higher spiritual truth.

A quote by Napoleon Hill “Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.”

And this is where Spiritualism offers a unique and gentle perspective.

In our Spiritualist understanding, we do not believe that Spirit asks us to suffer or to sacrifice in the sense of punishment or obligation. Instead, we see life as a continuous journey of growth, guided by love.

So what role does sacrifice play in our faith?

In Spiritualism, sacrifice becomes less about loss, and more about conscious choice.

We may choose to sacrifice our impatience, in order to practice kindness.

We may sacrifice our fear, in order to trust the guidance of Spirit and our guides.

We may sacrifice our need to control, and instead surrender to the natural flow of life and the wisdom of those in the Spirit world who walk beside us and help us.

These are not sacrifices that diminish us — they are sacrifices that expand us.

They create space within us for healing, for connection, and for deeper awareness of Spirit.

And when we look at our own lives, we begin to see how present sacrifice already exists.

Parents sacrifice sleep, time, and energy for their children.

Friends sacrifice convenience to support one another in times of need.

We sacrifice comfort when we choose growth — when we step outside our familiar patterns and allow ourselves to change.

And I’m drawn to a recent conversation I had with a work colleague who I have known for many years. She asked me ‘Nige If you had your life again, would you make the same choices’. Now for those who know me, I have endured some real times of heavy trauma and suffered much, some of it as a result of my decisions. 

I paused and pondered and then replied ‘Do you know what, no I wouldn’t. All that went before has lead me to this place in my life. And I like my life and I am happy. I have sacrificed and endured much, but it has made me who I am today’

Even something as simple as listening — truly actively listening — can be a form of sacrifice. We set aside our own thoughts and judgments to be present for another soul.

These everyday acts may not seem grand, but they are deeply spiritual.

Because at their heart, they are expressions of love.

And love, as we understand in Spiritualism, is the greatest force of all. It is the energy that connects us to one another, to the Spirit world, and to the Divine Holy Spirit.

A quote from Silver Birch, the renowned spirit guide channeled through Maurice Barbanell, “By love I mean compassion, the desire to serve, to sacrifice, to help, to do all within your power for those who are less fortunate than you are. This is the love that ignores self and wants to do what it can for someone who needs the service you can give.”

So folks perhaps we can begin to see sacrifice not as something heavy, but as something sacred.

Not something we are forced to do, but something we are invited to offer.

And I’d like us to reflect on the sacrifices of our amazing mediums serving in our Spiritualist churches and centres, giving enormously of themselves. Offering their time, energy, and sensitivity to bring comfort, healing, and hope to others. 

Their dedication, often given quietly and without any expectation of reward, is a true act of spiritual service that helps keep our communities connected with the love and guidance of Spirit and connection with our loved ones in the afterlife.

I’d like to share a short poem with you which I found on the internet and it’s by an anonymous author.

 

The Quiet Gift

 

Not all sacrifice is seen

In grand or solemn ways,

It lives within the quiet acts

That shape our nights and days.

 

A word withheld in anger,

A hand extended still,

A choice to meet another soul

With patience, heart, and will.

 

It’s found in gentle letting go,

Of fear, of pride, of need,

In trusting that through giving up

We plant a higher seed.

 

For what we lose in smaller self

Returns in spirit wide,

And in that sacred offering

We walk with love as guide.

 

So do not fear the giving,

Nor count what must depart,

For every true and willing gift

Expands the human heart.

 

When I reflect on these words, I am reminded that sacrifice is often quiet. It does not always ask for dramatic gestures. Instead, it invites us into daily acts of awareness and intention.

And importantly, sacrifice in a spiritual sense should never come from guilt, fear, or pressure.

True sacrifice comes from love.

It is chosen freely, not imposed.

It uplifts rather than diminishes.

If we ever find ourselves feeling depleted, resentful, or lost in what we are giving, it is worth pausing and asking: is this truly a loving offering, or have I moved out of balance?

Because Spiritualism teaches balance.

We are not here to lose ourselves entirely — we are here on this earthly plane, to grow, to learn, and to experience the fullness of life, supported by Spirit.

 

So perhaps the deeper invitation is this:

What are we being called to release?

What are we being asked to offer?

And how can we do so in a way that honours both others and ourselves?

Sometimes, the greatest sacrifice is just letting go of something we have held onto for too long — an old belief, a hurt, a fear, or even an identity that no longer serves us. And trust me as an ex Pentecostal Christian, who after all these years is still deconstructing, that’s a journey!

And when we release these things, we create space for Spirit to work more fully within us.

We become clearer channels for love, healing, and understanding.

As we move forward in our lives, may we begin to see sacrifice not as loss, but as transformation.

Not as a burden, but as an offering.

And not as something to avoid, but as something to approach with wisdom, with balance, and above all with love.

Because in every true act of sacrifice, there is a quiet truth:

Nothing given in love is ever truly lost.

It is simply transformed — within us, within others, and within the greater tapestry of life we live with Spirit.

Thank you.

 

Nigel Keenan (VSU North Melbourne) – Speaking address at COSE Williamstown – 7th June, 2026.