“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”
1 Peter 4:10 NLT
I was having lunch with a friend recently who shared she was looking to get involved in ministry at her church. She was interested in being one of the Sunday morning greeters but mentioned that she felt like she “should” volunteer in the nursery instead. My friend happens to be a baby professional. In addition to raising her own two children, she has a bachelor’s degree in Child Development, and has worked in the childcare industry for decades. Shouldn’t she be using her experience to serve God, she thought? Maybe. But she also shared that because she worked 40 hours a week in the infant room of a local daycare, she liked the idea of doing something different on her weekends. I could tell she was feeling guilty about this. Although she has a gift for working with children, God also blessed her with a friendly personality and a welcoming smile. If she feels led to use these gifts to serve Him, then I believe that is where she belongs.
There are so many ways to serve God and further his kingdom, both locally and globally. Ideally, the church works best, when we use our God-given talents in an area of ministry that we feel drawn to.
“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT
I believe this verse goes beyond monetary giving and that God wants us to cheerfully give our time and talents in addition to our treasure.
When my children were young, I felt obligated to volunteer in the children’s ministry at our church. Over the years, I spent hours rocking babies in the nursery and assisting in the Sunday School classrooms. It was fine and I loved being where my kids were, but I wouldn’t say I had a real passion for it. One day, I heard my church needed more worship leaders in the children’s ministry on Sundays, leading the kids in fun motions that went along with recorded worship music. No microphone was required. Great news, since God did NOT bless me with a beautiful singing voice. A former dancer, this ministry allowed me to rediscover something I loved, and use those talents to worship the LORD. I looked forward to the Sundays when I was scheduled to serve. If one of the other worship leaders emailed, looking for a substitute, I happily stepped in. This was when I knew I was in my ministry sweet spot.
Sometimes, we are called to a ministry, but after time, for various reasons, it may no longer be a good fit. It is also easy for people to get burned out in ministry, potentially even resentful, when we are leaning too hard on the same people time after time. As a church, we need to be aware of this, encouraging people to find ministries well suited to them and their talents, providing training when needed, and respecting when people feel led to move on from a certain role. As Christ followers, we need to be mindful of when we are getting stagnant in our service and recognize when it may be time to try serving in a new way. There may be times that due to an important need, we are called to step up and serve in a ministry that may not be something we particularly enjoy or continue to serve in a role until an appropriate successor is found, but ultimately, we should find joy in our work, serving and pleasing our God.
There are also times when God will nudge us to step out of our comfort zone to serve in a role that will grow us spiritually. We need to be open to these opportunities and trust that God will carry us through, even when we feel ill-equipped. This will allow God to work through us with his mighty power and be glorified.
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
Ephesians 3:20 NLT
“So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9b NLT
For those who are not currently involved in ministry or those who are feeling burned out in their current role, take some time to explore ways you can use your talents and interests to serve God. Summer can be a great time to check out new ministry opportunities. Leaders are often scrambling for substitutes when their regular volunteers are on vacation. I encourage you to try something new and pray that God will lead you to the best way to serve Him, with the talents he has richly blessed you with.
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