WEEK TWO: MY PLEASURE

After over 25 years in ministry, I have heard way too many people say that they have nothing to offer, or that God couldn’t use them for one reason or another. However, nothing could be further from the truth. God has a unique and specific calling for every person. It is simply our responsibility to step into that purpose by getting involved and finding our place to serve.

Unfortunately, there is a statistic from a Gallup survey taken in the early 2000s that still rings true today. Only 10% of people in a church are actively involved in serving. An additional 50% have no interest in serving, but there is another 40% who have never been asked or don’t know how to get involved. So, here’s the ask!

If you aren’t involved, please get involved. Find a place to serve. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different opportunities until you find the one that fuels you. If you aren’t sure what is available, ask someone. Take our Lifehouse 101 course which will help you connect to what is available in our church. Take a Spiritual Gift Assessment or a passions assessment. Ask yourself, “what am I passionate about and how can I use that to reach others for Christ and to grow God’s kingdom?” Then, jump in and do something.

In 2 Kings chapter 4, the prophet Elisha asks a widow (who was in dire straits and in jeopardy of losing her sons to slavery in order to pay a debt) what she had in her house. Her reply was that she had nothing except a flask of oil. He instructed her to borrow jars and to pour the oil into the borrowed jars. As long as she had an empty jar, God miraculously provided oil. So much so that she was able to pay her debt and live on what was left over.

So for us, let’s serve sacrificially because we have been given God’s grace. Look for opportunities to serve. Start each day by surrendering yourself to God. Be willing to stretch yourself, trust in God to provide as you give of your time, resources, and energy, and find joy in serving. Remember that serving others is a privilege, and we are called by God to do so.

So, what gifts, talents, time, and treasure do you have? Where is God asking you to surrender? What do you have in your house? Because what you have to offer to God is more than enough.