Serving...
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast!
And when I run I feel his pleasure.”
― Eric Liddell
On Sundays sometimes I get to sing and I am grateful for the chance to do it. Sometimes I'm more grateful than others. Sometimes I drag my groggy self out of bed and in to a very early Sunday morning pre-service run-through.
I snapped this picture a few weeks ago, as I thought about everyone who got up on their day off to spend a morning giving away their time and energy for "church".
As a mom it can be hard to be on a serving team. I have to get a sitter, and spend a (late) weeknight at practice, and then on Sundays I have to get up and get 3 little tykes out the door and through the church doors before the sun comes up. By myself. There are a lot of reasons to give up and quit on it. (Side note: I cannot wait for the day I can say, "ok guys, go get in the car," and watch them walk their little selves out. A girl can dream, right?)
Anyway, ahem, about the quitting. About all the reasons to quit... There are a lot of them.
But.
I don't want to, and I'm not alone in this.
I've been thinking a lot about all the people in our church on serving teams. I am one of 4 (give or take) moms with young children, just on our worship team.
I love the quote at the top. It sums up my thoughts, and why we all serve.
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast!
And when I run I feel his pleasure.”
We serve because it makes us feel alive. It makes us feel like we are a part of something, like we can contribute to something. Serving gives us a sense of community, but most importantly, it is one of those things we were created to do, that brings us joy/fulfillment/satisfaction.
It's funny. It's ironic. We chase and dream after all the things we think will fulfill us. Along the same lines, typically, we don't like to do things we don't have to.
Hand out bulletins at church? Boring. Sign up to be a greeter? The introvert in me is screaming NO! Lead a children's Sunday school class? I don't need to add any stress to my life right now. Be an usher? Be a chaplain? Prepare doughnuts and coffee? Maybe when my life slows down.
Seriously, it is really easy to find excuses for not contributing to life, society, and your church. I get it, I get it, we are all busy. I am busy. You are busy. Life is busy.
The same argument could apply for volunteering in local community groups, or at your local school, for Big Brothers Big Sisters, at a local soup kitchen or community house. You name it, argument applies.
Sometimes we are busy. Sometimes we don't want to step outside our comfort zones. Either way, we often don't look at this from the perspective of missing out on something.
Therein lies the irony, because it turns out, we are missing out.
One Christmas while I was in high school my mom announced that on Christmas morning our family would be delivering hot meals to the poor and elderly in the community who didn't have a family to have a Christmas meal with. I wish I could say the angel in me (ha!) was delighted by this prospect, but no, I did not handle this news very well. I was downright angry that I had to miss out on the magic of a lazy Christmas morning with my family, to deliver meals to people.
Turns out, it was a pretty amazing, eye opening experience, and you know what I felt after the first few stops? JOY. I don't know how else to describe it, except to say that my selfish heart was BURSTING with joy.
Why?
We are humans- made in the image of God- which simply means our loves/desires/the things that make us tick/the things that give us pleasure, mirror His loves/desires/joys. I am put together, DNA strand by DNA strand, in such a way that when I do things in a serving manner, I find an tangible sense of fulfillment and satisfaction and joy.
I was created (knit together- designed- planned out) to be a giver and not a taker, and when I do things that require my giving, what I get in return is a nearness or a sense of closeness to God, and to his kingdom.
My husband said to me once, while we were having a discussion about his career choices and what he might do with the rest of his life... I feel like I should preface this sentence with the fact that my husband is a pastor of worship arts, and a darn good one at that... Too much? Sorry... I get to say that cause I'm his wife... Ahem... My husband said, in the moments when he is on stage leading worship, that is when he feels most alive.
Let me clarify this- because I can totally relate to his statement, and so can Eric Liddell, and so can a lot of other people who do a lot of different things. My husband doesn't feel alive when he's leading worship because he is in front of a big crowd, or because the energy in the room is high, or because it is exciting to sing fun songs on stage, or anything even remotely related to the "performance" of the act of leading worship. He feels alive because he is connecting in a really intimate way- and leading a room into that intimate moment that we all share together- with God. It is the presence (and joy) of God that he tangibly feels that is making him feel alive.
It is like somehow the dividing lines between this world and the next are thinned or blurred, and while we can't see God, we can certainly feel his presence, and his pleasure.
When I participate in worship- whether on stage, or in a crowd, or in my car, the where of the matter is irrelevant- when I participate in a moment of worship I bawl my eyes out. I cry happy tears, sad tears, angry tears, tears of hopelessness or confusion, and tears when I see myself the way God sees me and I realize I need a change... I. just. cry.
I have finally figured out that "the crying" is very simply my human reaction to being in the presence of God. We all have a different reaction- and not necessarily the same reaction every time... But for me, I cry buckets. And I love it. I love the presence of God. I love every chance I get to be near Him, to listen, to adore Him, and to be changed. I feel alive.
I am digressing. My point is, it is the presence of God that brings the joy, and the serving/doing that brings you into His presence. (No, that's not the only way. But it is a really good, good way.)
If you're looking for satisfaction, or community, or if you just want to "be happy," cause maybe you haven't been for a while, think about serving. Think about giving. Think about putting yourself out there despite your busy schedule or your general discomfort with whatever it is that you are hung up on right now. In those acts of doing things for other people, you will find yourself in the presence of God, full of joy. I promise.
You were made - you were hardwired - to serve. That doesn't mean we all serve the same way, and it doesn't mean it's ok to burn out on serving. You might be in a spot where you've been serving so long or so much that you actually need to take a breather for a season, and not serve. If you need that, make sure you're sitting in the quiet, listening, and allowing God to refresh and recharge you.
I should note, there are some things that you and I are hardwired to do, and other things that are just good for us to do.
Some people are hardwired musically, or hardwired to teach or cook, or host people in their home, or fix things when they are broken, or to find the lost and needy and meet their needs. But it doesn't mean those people only find satisfaction in the things they are hardwired to do. Joy comes in all sorts of tasks, not just the ones we are "good at."
If you're not serving, in your church or community, what would it look like if you did? What are you good at? What are you pretty sure you could tackle with a little direction? What kinds of serving opportunities would fit your personality?
My bff's husband realized he was not a good greeter/bulletin-hander-outer, but he did just fine pressing buttons in the tech booth after a few lessons. And we get a good laugh about it now, because he really tried to be a good greeter, he just didn't enjoy it.
Go find something, and do it. Be a blessing to someone. To lots of people. Take someone a meal. Watch a friends kids so they can go to the grocery store in peace. Shovel your neighbors driveway. Meet a friend for lunch, just to listen to how they are doing- because let's be honest, we're all "ok," even though our lives are often not ok. Ask to lead a small group or a prayer session. Ask to get behind a tech booth. Ask to help in children's church. Ask to be in the worship band, even though its been a few years since you touched that old instrument. Just ask.
Go find what it is that you were created to do, and be good at it. Go find your joy. Go find the thing that makes you feel alive in the presence of God. Just go.
