“Serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13
Last week we focused on serving one another. This week, let’s focus on how we can continue serving, with a smile!
Does service ever become mundane, or even, gasp, drudgery? do you continue to serve because, well, you feel you have to? To continue to pour yourself out into service with a servant’s heart, you need to be refilled.
Refilled.
Refilled with what?
Refilled by whom?
Ask any pastor, Christian counselor, or anyone who takes his faith seriously, service can drain an enthusiastic spirit. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the serving, that our servant hearts are depleted. There is always work to do, someone who needs us, an encouraging word to say or write. Yet, we need to stop and allow ourselves time out.
None of us can go it alone. We need our hearts held be the best servant. Have our minds, energy, and souls rejuvenated by Jesus Himself. We must be proactive. We often allow ourselves to get distracted by urgent things, instead of focusing on the important, truly important things.
First and foremost, we must spend time refueling with the Lord.
Not for the right words,
Not for inspiration,
Not for direction.
Spend time with Him, in His presence, to draw closer to, and build your personal relationship with Him.
Enter into a regular devotion time just to know God better. Learn more of His word. Just be in His presence.
No matter what else is happening in your life, don’t hijack your devotional time to use it as research time, as work time, or even as problem solving time.
Once refueled and on the right track, although it may surprise you, the other stuff will come: the right words, the inspiration, and the right direction.
But none of it will come consistently if God is eclipsed from the equation.
He did create each of us to do His work, but of even more importance, He created each of us to worship Him, to love Him, and to know Him.
Prioritize time with Him, and not solely on doing His service. You’ll be amazed how energetic you’ll become!
Reflections:
Monday: When life gets busy, how often do I keep my devotional time with the Lord? If it drops from the agenda, how could I reinstate it?
Tuesday: Evaluate your commitments. Is there something you are doing, because others have projected that onto you, or you feel you would let someone else down; yet you are not necessarily feeling God is calling you to it? The difficulty here, is sometimes we are called to decline good things, for something which is even better.
Wednesday: Is there something you should delete from you commitment list? Determine how to gracefully, without discouraging others, exit that commitment.
Thursday: Spend some time with God. Sometimes it can take a while to settle all those other thoughts of to-do lists, conversations with others playing in your head, a sports game later in the day, etc! Find a quiet spot, where you can’t see or hear any distractions. (Closets with the lights out work well, if you don’t fall asleep!) (Also, if necessary to keep your focus, set a timer to alert you of the time, should you have a limited quantity.)
Really focus on God. Think about His characteristics. Humble yourself before Him. Ask Him to clear your mind. Listen to what He plants there.
Friday: Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You have plans for me, things You have authored for me to do. But before You authored those plans, You created me just to know, love, and serve You. Please show me how to balance the responsibilities of completing the tasks You have assigned me, with spending time with You and Your word, learning even more about You. Thank you for always holding me in the palm of Your hand. I can trust You will guide me to the right balance because of Your great love for me. Thank you! Amen.
Thank you for reading! The next post should be up by Monday, October 21. Have a very blessed week!