Ever feel like you’re too busy? Frazzled by all your responsibilities at home and work? Many of us do. It’s the reality that keeps many of us from volunteering, from giving back, from serving others as much as we’d like to if we didn’t have all this other stuff going on. And for church staff, it’s the frustrating reality they face as their programs suffer for lack of volunteers. 

But in truth, most of what we do is already serving, because attending to the needs of others is serving. That’s certainly true of what we do for family. And when our employer is providing goods or services to people, they and we are serving those people. Giving back, volunteering, is more than what we do at church or at the local food pantry. Anytime we’re doing something for the benefit of others, we’re serving.

Seeing our activity as serving doesn’t by itself solve the busyness and frustration. But growing in our serving can and does make things better. Taking steps to be more intentional, more joyful, more impactful and more faith-full in our serving, makes things better all around. It can make our serving more healthful for us and more helpful for those we serve. These can be big chages, but it’s best done in small steps that make a big difference over time.

Let’s start by looking at how we can be more intentional in serving. 

Why More Intentional?

Our day is filled with tasks–things to be done. Looking beyond the task to the person or people we’re serving through that task changes the perspective; it can also change our attitude and our results. Serving focuses on people.

Tasks then become ways to help people thrive. Getting dinner on the table becomes a contribution to the family’s health. My employment becomes helping those served by the business, as well as helping my boss and colleagues. Putting fresh flowers on the altar helps people worship the God who made the beautiful flowers. 

Serving others is serving Jesus.

Serving people doesn’t necessarily mean doing what they expect or want. It means doing what is best for them. We understand when we’re raising children. But it’s also true more generally. If I’m serving on that committee out of guilt, or to please someone, but the overall effect on me or my family is negative, it’s time to reconsider. Loving and serving people is meant to help others thrive.

Even when we’re serving for the right reasons, for people’s good, sometimes the ones we serve aren’t appreciative, perhaps not even likeable. But here’s where people who love Jesus have an even broader perspective and advantage. Jesus says that whatever we do for others, we’re doing for Him . He’s the One we’re always serving; He always notices.

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:20

As we dig into the practicalities of serving more intentionally, consider these initial steps:
– As you do any task, picture the person you are serving. Pray they may thrive.
– Periodically ask yourself, Am I doing this task to help someone thrive or because it’s expected?
– When you dislike a task, or when you’re working for that crabby someone, say to yourself, “This is for you, Jesus.”

Were you ‘roped in’ to serving?

Were you guilted? pressured?

Think about some of the ways you serve. How did they begin? Were you guilted into organizing the rummage sale? Did you feel pressured by others’ expectations when signing the kids up for activities? Was it your ambition leading you to accept that promotion? Are you comfortable saying ‘no’ to an opportunity even if it displeases someone?

Intentionality is easiest, and most important at the beginning, when we’re considering opportunities. Being aware of what criteria we’re using in our decision making is key. Asking our loving heavenly Father for his input is the best beginning. While we could wish he’d be more explicit in his response, he often does speak to us through wise friends who are further along the journey of faith.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

When new ways to serve at home, work or elsewhere come up on the radar, consider
– Have I prayed about this?
– Why am I considering this? Does it serve others? 
– How would doing this affect where I’m already serving?

Does your serving line up with how you’re wired?

Our natural abilities and our personality are gifts from our Creator. He continues to grow us and shape us through the education and experiences that come our way. Organizing and writing energize me; figuring out what food to serve guests perplexes and confuses me, so I tend to avoid requests involving hostess duties.

But sometimes it is necessary to work outside of our strengths. Even then, we can look for ways our gifts apply. I do want to open my home to guests, so I decided to prepare a list of foods that I’ve seen others serve and that I can make; consulting my list makes the task much easier.  

“What do you see as my strengths?”

Sometimes we’re not fully aware of how we’re wired. I hated the public speaking class I took in college, but 20 years later, when asked to speak about healthy volunteerism, I was surprised that I could do a decent job, it went well and I enjoyed it! Try asking someone who knows you well, “What do you see as my strengths?” You may be surprised, and it might open new doors, helping you be more intentional in your serving.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

To be more intentional in the ‘fit’ of your serving,
– Where can I adjust what I’m doing now to make it line up better with my abilities, experience and personality?
– What  new opportunity is on the horizon? How does it line up with the way I’m wired?

Is it healthful?

God modeled, and commanded, a healthy balance of work and rest. He gave us physical bodies that require sleep for rejuvenation. When we ignore this plan, we hurt ourselves and those we serve. No, it’s not easy. In fact, it’s counter-cultural. Very counter-cultural.

Get a good night’s sleep.

But we can take steps to a healthful balance. Quiet time in God’s word and prayer starts the day on the right foot. We can limit the activities we opt in to. We can walk a little slower. We can recognize our needs for adequate sleep, healthy food and physical exercise. When activities are difficult beyond the ordinary, we can look for those who can help us deal with the challenge. 

A servant must put on their own oxygen mask first before helping others.  

[O]n the seventh day [God] rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath . . .
on it you shall not do any work . . . Exodus 20:9-1

To be more intentionally healthful:
– Take a step to more intentional time with God
– Take an unplanned 5 minutes outside or looking out a window where you are simply noticing what’s happening outside.
– Get a good night’s sleep.

Is there an end point?

How many activities are we doing just because we’ve always done them? Or simply because it’s expected? Some of us have trouble saying “no.” (Some of us say “no” way too often, but that’s another topic.) With any way of serving, it can be helpful to realize this, too, shall end one day. 

Sometimes new seasons of life mean intentional changes in our serving. An empty nest opens doors. The freedom of retirement brings the option of focusing on self or on serving in new ways. Aging and disability can end some of the ways we loved to serve, but it doesn’t stop us from new ways that fit our limitations.

There is a season for every activity under the heavens.

A friend of mine taught me a lot about serving recently. Due to her own choice, and some circumstances beyond her control, she spent this past winter confined in a residential care facility even though her immediate physical and mental health is good. It was difficult in many ways, but she chose to intentionally use the time and the situation to serve the residents and staff around her.  

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

To serve more intentionally, consider:
– Does each way I’m currently serving have an endpoint? Do I need to set an endpoint for some of them?
– Which of the ways I’m serving fit well with this season of life? Which do not? 
– What might I add to or remove from my serving in the next season of life?

Grace Upon Grace

Serving itself, and serving more intentionally, is not another task to add to your list. It’s not a test, or a skill you’ll get graded on. It’s simply a perspective and a tool to help us make sense of all we do. It helps us discern what God prepared in advance for us to do, and do it in a way that most benefits others and ourselves. 

Grace upon grace!

Serving more intentionally benefits everyone, but those who know and follow Jesus have an advantage. They know the good news of His grace. His grace covers all our past failures and also the future failings that will happen even when we’re aiming to serve more intentionally. His grace is costly, but it cost us nothing. It was earned for us by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and it is that grace–not our efforts at serving–that earns us our relationship with the Father.

Serving more intentionally is a family affair. As we serve more intentionally, we can help others do the same through our affirmations, our support, and our mutual accountability. As we serve, God’s kingdom grows.

What one step will help you serve more intentionally?

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16

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– Worksheet: More Intentional Everyday Serving

Share your thoughts on this topic tby commenting below or by contacting Karen. Let’s keep the conversation going

Also in this series
– More Joyful (and Less Dreary) Everyday Serving
Worksheet, More Joyful Everyday Serving
– More Impactful (and Less Ho-Hum) Everyday Serving
Worksheet, More Impactful Everyday Serving
– More Faith-Full (and Less Disjointed) Everyday Serving
Worksheet, More Faith-Full Everyday Serving
– “More Serving? Or Better Serving?”
Worksheet: A Look at My Serving

Related resources:
– Why Look at Serving?
– The Call by Os Guiness