24But the king replied to Araunuh, “No, I insist on paying for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
Part of the definition of a sacrifice is that it costs you something. It is not a personal sacrifice to give away your neighbor’s car to a poor family. It cost you nothing. It might be a sacrifice to your neighbor! King David understood this principle. The people were in trouble because he made a mistake. He sinned, and the people were getting the negative consequences. He repents and wants to sacrifice to the Lord. He ends up buying what he needs. It becomes a sacrifice at that point. What would a sacrifice look like in your life? There is an old expression, “Give ‘til it hurts.” How much would you have to give in order for it to alter your way of life? How much would it take in order for you to have to trust the Lord with your present and your future? I believe the richer you are the more you have the ability to give, and therefore the more you are responsible to give. Sacrificing means some pain will be present. Some of the questions, like, “how are we going to make ends meet?” will be asked by you, rather than by the person to whom you are giving. Sacrifice shifts the burden from someone else to you. Are you willing to learn to sacrifice?
The Arnold Journey 